Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. out of Saudi Arabian GP with illness. F2 driver Oliver Bearman steps up

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Carlos Sainz Jr. was ruled out of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with appendicitis on Friday, with Ferrari handing 18-year-old Oliver Bearman his Formula 1 debut hours before qualifying.

Sainz “has been diagnosed with appendicitis and will require surgery,” Ferrari said in a statement.

The team has promoted Bearman, its British reserve driver who usually competes in Formula 2, for the rest of the race weekend starting with Friday’s third practice session.

Bearman is set to become the third-youngest driver to start an F1 race, behind only Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll, who were 17 and 18, respectively, when they made their debuts.

Starting Saturday’s Grand Prix would make Bearman the youngest driver to race for Ferrari, breaking a record set in 1961 by Ricardo Rodríguez of Mexico, who was 19 when he took part in the Italian Grand Prix.

Bearman previously drove two practice sessions in Mexico and Abu Dhabi last year as a test driver for the Haas team. He had qualified on pole position in F2 this weekend but will take no further part in that event.

Sainz drove in both of Thursday’s practice sessions in Saudi Arabia, having the sixth and seventh-fastest times, but said he felt unwell and that it was affecting his driving.

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz of Spain sits in his car before the start of the second practice session ahead of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, March 7, 2024. The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will be held on Saturday, March 9, 2024. Credit: AP/Darko Bandic

“Obviously a very difficult day after feeling sick, the last 24 hours have been tough and difficult for me,” Sainz said Thursday. “Today is was all about trying to get myself on track and learn as much as possible from the car without pushing too much the limits as I was still a bit on the not-ideal side.”

Sainz’s next opportunity to return to F1 is at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 24.