Vasseur proud of Sainz's return: 'Amazing when you consider that...'

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur is immensely proud of his driver Carlos Sainz, who, following an appendectomy, gets to start the race in Melbourne from P2. Sainz himself said earlier that he was doing much better. His team boss is hugely pleased with the Spaniard's performance. Vasseur explains why it is all so clever of Sainz.

"For sure, it's quite incredible. If you imagine that two weeks ago, he was at the hospital at this stage. He did very, very well. But, honestly, after the first session, he was speaking about the car and not anymore about the surgery and the stomach. To the team, we forgot the story a little bit. It's mega. If you consider that two weeks ago, he was in the hospital," Vasseur told F1TV.

Vasseur checked in on Sainz

Last week there was no Formula 1 weekend, and so that gave Vasseur time to take a look at his driver. "I was visiting him on Saturday morning in the hospital," said the Frenchman. When asked if the Ferrari team was worried about Sainz this weekend, Vasseur was very clear.

"Honestly not. I can imagine that when he's jumping out of the car, it’s a mixed feeling. But in the debrief, and so he's really focused on the performance. And I think into the car tomorrow, it will be OK," the team principal concluded.