Few wins in Components 1 will ever be as spectacular because the 2024 Australian Grand Prix.
Simply 16 days after having his appendix eliminated, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz stood on the highest step of the rostrum at Albert Park.
His win got here at a crossroads within the Spaniard’s profession after being advised in the beginning of the season he wouldn’t be driving for the famed Italian outfit, who signed seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton to a multi-year deal.
The win was a serious second for Sainz, who proved his brilliance within the cockpit of an F1 automobile regardless of nonetheless recovering from surgical procedure.
Later within the yr he introduced he would signal with British outfit Williams, a staff that’s displaying promising indicators because it tries to work its approach again up the grid.
However Sainz has six extra race weekends left with Ferrari, starting with the US Grand Prix on the finish of October.
Carlos Sainz secured the third win of his F1 profession at Albert Park in Melbourne in the course of the 2024 Australian Grand Prix. (AAP: James Ross)
The Spaniard is set to finish his three-year stint with the Scuderia with yet another triumph earlier than shifting to the following problem.
“Clearly it’s on the high of my checklist to attempt to win no less than as soon as once more with Ferrari earlier than I go away,” the 30-year-old advised F1.com.
“It’s in my head, not as a result of I’m leaving on the finish of the yr with Ferrari, however as a result of I all the time attempt to win each race that I am going to.”
Subsequent yr’s Australian Grand Prix would be the season opener, which means it is going to be Sainz’s first race for Williams, Hamilton’s first race for Ferrari, and the debut of rookie Australian Jack Doohan.
Ferrari has had a blended season in 2024 with Sainz’s teammate Charles Leclerc additionally gathering a pair of grand prix wins, whereas different weekends have been a wrestle.
However the Scuderia sits third within the constructors’ championship with 1 / 4 of the season left to race, 75 factors adrift of ladder chief McLaren.
Regardless of McLaren being the in-form staff in F1, there are six grands prix and three dash races left for Ferrari — and second-placed Purple Bull — to claw again the deficit and declare the world championship.
Ferrari staff principal Fred Vasseur mentioned after final month’s Singapore Grand Prix that he anticipated most groups may have some kind of improve for the following weekend in Texas, as the ultimate push to the top of the season begins.
“I anticipate all of the groups, together with ourselves, will convey one thing new to Austin,” he mentioned.
“It’s the primary a part of a triple-header and I anticipate that, as ordinary, a few of these three tracks will swimsuit some groups higher than others.”
The USA Grand Prix shall be held on Monday morning, October 21, AEDT.
