Ferrari F1 star Carlos Sainz will be absent from this weekend’s Saudi Arabia Grand Prix after the Spaniard was diagnosed with appendicitis. Here’s what we know and who will take his place.
29-year-old Sainz, who was the only non-Red Bull driver to win a race last season, will require surgery and therefore will miss the final practice session, qualifying, and the grand prix itself.
Ferrari announced on March 8 that reserve driver Oliver Bearman will fill the vacant seat.
“Carlos Sainz has been diagnosed with appendicitis and will require surgery,” the official team statement read.
“As from FP3 and for the rest of this weekend, he will be replaced by reserve driver Oliver Bearman.
“Oliver will therefore take no further part in this round of the F2 Championship. The Ferrari family wishes Carlos a speedy recovery.”
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Who is Oliver Bearman?
Bearman, 18, has been part of the Ferrari Driver Academy since 2021.
The teenager made his F1 practice session debut last year as he drove for Haas during the Mexican Grand Prix weekend.
Carlos Sainz has been diagnosed with appendicitis and will require surgery. As from FP3 and for the rest of this weekend, he will be replaced by reserve driver Oliver Bearman. Oliver will therefore take no further part in this round of the F2 Championship. The Ferrari family… pic.twitter.com/zePBeZlJED
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) March 8, 2024
The Brit got a second bite at life behind the wheel of an F1 car during a second practice session at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2023.
Bearman will now step in for the absent Sainz ahead of FP3 and qualifying on Friday, before lining up on the grid for lights out this Saturday.
Bearman is now set to become the first British driver to race for Ferrari in F1 for nearly 25 years – beating Lewis Hamilton who leaves Mercedes to join the Scuderia next season.