Ferrari’s rookie replaces Carlos Sainz in the Saudi Arabian GP
Published 2024-03-08 12.31
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Sickness for Ferrari.
Carlos Sainz Jr is forced to undergo appendectomy.
He is replaced by 18-year-old rookie Oliver Bearman – who will become Ferrari’s youngest ever F1 driver.
Carlos Sainz came third in the opening race in Bahrain last Saturday. As recently as yesterday, he ran the two opening practices in Saudi Arabia, despite feeling really ill and having stomach pains earlier in the week.
Now comes the explanation. The Spaniard has suffered from appendicitis and is being forced to undergo surgery, Ferrari announced at lunchtime on Friday.
Exactly how long Sainz will be out is still unclear.
“The Ferrari family wishes Carlos a speedy recovery,” they write in a statement.
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full screen 18-year-old rookie Oliver Bearman becomes the youngest ever in Ferrari in F1. Photo: Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images
The 18-year-old youngest ever
Replacing is Formula 2 driver Oliver Bearman, who drives for Prema Racing. He qualified yesterday in pole position for today’s Feature Race. However, there won’t be any more competition in F2 this weekend for the Brit who will instead drive his first F1 race in his career tomorrow – with Charles Leclerc as his teammate.
With the debut, Bearman will become the youngest ever driver for Ferrari (18 years and 306 days), the youngest ever British F1 driver and the first to make his F1 debut in a Ferrari car since Italian Arturo Merzario in 1972.
Only Max Verstappen (Netherlands) and Lance Stroll (Canada) were younger when they debuted.
As early as this afternoon, the third practice and at 18.00 the qualifiers for the Saudi Arabian GP will take place.
From before, it is clear that Carlos Sainz will be replaced by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari next season.
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1 / 3Foto: Darko Bandic / AP
