After unfortunately missing out on the Saudi Arabian GP, Carlos Sainz is back for usual business in Australia. However, the Spaniard did not have the best of starts to the week. A fan who met him at the hotel recalled the Ferrari star getting mobbed despite the appeal to stay calm.
A post shared on X (formerly Twitter) by @forsainz, quoted a fan as saying, “So there was a small group waiting for him (Sainz) to check-in. But others swarmed him at the door when he came in. He told everyone he would sign (autographs) after, but people still tried to go to him.”
This is not the first time Carlos Sainz has had a run-in with his own fans. Earlier last year, a ruckus between fans who were waiting for him to sign autographs and take selfies ensued. Sainz urged them to cooperate, and he’d sign autographs for everyone. Although the fans did not oblige, the Spaniard still ended up staying back and signing autographs.
The 29-year-old, unfortunately, is not the only F1 driver to have faced an unsavory moment with the fans recently. Sainz’s teammate, Charles Leclerc, has faced several incidents that turned serious.
The Monegasque had fans reach his apartment and ring the doorbell for autographs. As a result, Leclerc ultimately had to make a post on Instagram and request the fans to respect his privacy.
Moreover, Alpine driver Pierre Gasly had to do the same when fans started to violate boundaries. On one such occasion, Gasly found his backpack open. While no items from his bag went missing, it had valuables that included his passport.
Carlos Sainz not guaranteed to race at the Australian GP
Carlos Sainz started the 2024 season strongly with a solid performance that earned him a podium finish in Bahrain. He looked well-settled in the two practice sessions in Jeddah as well.
However, doctors diagnosed him with appendicitis after a bout of sickness. The Spaniard had to undergo emergency surgery to remove his appendix, and resultantly, missed out on the rest of the race weekend.
Although he is ready to make a comeback in Australia after taking a good rest over a week’s break, there are no guarantees that he will race this weekend. Sainz needs to acquire the approval of FIA’s doctors.
The doctors will examine him through a stress test that includes a drill that requires him to hop out of his F1 car within 10 seconds. The tests will be held on Thursday, a day before the start of the race weekend.
If Carlos Sainz fails to get clearance from the doctors, Oliver Bearman could get another Ferrari drive. The Briton turned out to be a super sub in Jeddah as he put in a solid performance after getting just one practice session to get used to the car. Bearman finished P7 in the race and earned plaudits from fellow drivers.
