Carlos Sainz Injures Himself in F1 Charity Soccer Game Adding to Ferrari’s Woes

On Tuesday, Carlos Sainz picked up a leg injury while playing a charity soccer match in Monaco. With a couple of days to go before the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix kicks off, Sainz is believed to have added to Ferrari’s troubles.

The Children’s Sports Association hosts a charity soccer match annually in Monaco. The teams of the soccer game are made up of the F1 drivers and other F1 personnel against the star team formed by various sports personalities.

In this year’s match, Sainz was one of the several drivers to have taken the pitch. Along with him were his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, former Ferrari star Fernando Alonso and Alpine man Pierre Gasly.

Admittedly, there was F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali also on their team. Whereas Novak Djokovic was the star of the other team. He was accompanied by Sebastien Perez, Greg Campi, Valentin Lienard, Lisa Battaglia, Flavio Roma, Frederic Dehu, Claude Puel, and former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat.

Sainz’s injury ahead of the Monaco GP

The Spanish driver injured himself while playing the game at Louis II Stadium at the Principality. However, it wasn’t a major injury, as the Ferrari star got away with minor bruises.

As per updates, the 28-year-old suffered nothing but a bruised thigh. It was evident after Sainz was substituted and was found on camera with a heavily strapped right thigh, receiving treatment.

This led to huge concerns regarding the Spanish driver’s chances to race in the Principality. However, the good news is that Sainz has escaped with a minor injury this time and released Ferrari of their worries.

According to F1 journalist Giuliano Duchessa, everything is fine with Carlos Sainz, and it was just a contusion. But on the bright side, the Spanish star and his teammate won the game by a 4-3 margin.

When was the last time Monaco had a hyped charity soccer game?

Back in 2016, the charity match in Monaco was hyped similarly. The match is organized to gather funds for underprivileged children in the region and beyond, Alonso was the star of that match.

The then McLaren star was accompanied by 18-year-old Max Verstappen, who had just arrived fresh after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Furthermore, the match also had Leclerc, who had yet to debut in the sport.

The duo and multiple F1 personnel defeated the Premier League-winning Leicester City coach Claudio Ranieri’s star team. Alonso scored a brilliant free-kick goal, and in the end, the F1 star’s team managed to defeat Ranieri’s star team by 3-1.