Inside Carlos Sainz’s insane recovery from appendix surgery to Australian Grand Prix winner in just SIXTEEN days as Ferrari star pays tribute to ‘those that made it happen’

Carlos Sainz has lifted the lid on his miraculous recovery from an appendectomy to win the Australian Grand Prix.

The Ferrari star thanked ‘the people who made this possible’ after taking the checkered flag in Melbourne, just 16 days after undergoing the operation that ruled him out of the race in Saudi Arabia.

“My road to recovery,” he posted on X – formerly known as Twitter. ‘And a small tribute to the people who made this weekend possible.

‘Now it’s time to get back into good training and prepare for the upcoming races. THANK YOU!’

Sainz shared photos of himself in a hospital bed with multiple bandages still in place when he was in his racing suit in Melbourne, as well as a video of him doing strength work in the days after his surgery.

The Spaniard missed the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and somehow made it to Melbourne

He showed footage of his strength training ahead of the race in Albert Park

“Life is crazy sometimes,” he said.

‘What happened at the beginning of the year (not renewed at Ferrari), then the appendix and the comeback and the win – a rollercoaster, but I love it.’

Sainz revealed he has gone to great lengths to get fit to race, including spending two hours a day in a hyperbaric chamber.

“When I was about to catch my flight to Australia, I was still in bed and could barely use my abdominal muscles,” he said.

“I thought, this isn’t going to happen.” But I took the flight and when I landed in Australia, the feeling was suddenly a lot better.’

Sainz’s stock continues to rise following his impressive performance in Australia and with Lewis Hamilton replacing him at the Scuderia from 2025, a battle is on to secure the Spaniard’s services.

His Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc insists he is ‘not too worried’ about Sainz’s future, and believes a number of team leaders will want to make a move.

“I think everyone knows the value of Carlos in the paddock,” Leclerc said via planetf1.

Better still, Sainz took the checkered flag in an incredible recovery from sixteen days earlier

“He is one of the most highly rated drivers in the paddock and he has been extremely strong every time he has driven a Formula 1 car, and he has shown that on several occasions. So I don’t think he’s underestimated for that.

“I think everyone knows the value of Carlos, and that’s why I’ve often said that I’m not too worried about his future, because I’m sure a lot of team leaders… He doesn’t say it, but they certainly speak with him!

“And I’m sure he’ll get a lot of opportunities and he’ll just have to make the best choice for his career.”