F1 expert and former driver Martin Brundle claims Carlos Sainz looked 'fragile' and 'moved more slowly than normal' at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.
Sainz stormed to victory in Melbourne just a fortnight after he underwent surgery to remove his appendix, which saw him miss the last race in Saudi Arabia.
It was touch and go whether Sainz was going to be fit to drive at the Albert Park Circuit but he upset the odds with a stunning performance.
He overtook Max Verstappen early in the race before the three-time back-to-back world champion retired due to brake issues.
Martin Brundle says Carlos Sainz looked 'fragile' at the Australian Grand Prix
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Sainz will leave Ferrari at the end of the season to be replaced by Lewis Hamilton but certainly showed a reminder of his qualities.
In his post-race analysis, Brundle admits he was concerned at Sainz's fragility having met him on the grid before the action began.
But the 29-year-old proved the Sky Sports commentator wrong once he took to the track.
Brundle said: "Carlos Sainz was the hero of the day, and fans' driver of the day for the second time in his two races this season.
"Even when I chatted to him on the grid just before the race, I was perturbed that he still looked fragile and moved more slowly than normal after his surgery for appendicitis.
"There was nothing slow-moving about his race pace though, he was sensational throughout.
"In his words, he is 'jobless' for next year, and that was one hell of an advert for his talents yet again.
"If he'd driven in Jeddah, it's highly likely he'd be leading the world championship now."
Red Bull's Sergio Perez admitted after the race that his team didn't have the pace at the weekend and said Ferrari would have won even if Verstappen didn't retire.
Brundle agrees, adding: "The big question is whether Ferrari would have beaten Red Bull anyway.
"Sainz had already overtaken Verstappen but the RB20 was ailing.
"Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull would only finish fifth, some half-minute behind, before the virtual safety car intervened on the last lap, but he apparently had some aerodynamic damage having earlier shown very good pace.
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Carlos Sainz sped to victory at the Australian Grand Prix two weeks after having his appendix out
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"McLaren kept Ferrari remarkably honest with their race pace suggesting Verstappen would have been right in there.
"We'll never know the answer to the question of course, but my gut feeling all the way through was that it was Ferrari's day."
Charles Leclerc finished second in Melbourne, ahead of McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Brundle reckons Leclerc will have been 'hurt' by finishing behind his recently hospitalised team-mate.
Carlos Sainz finished ahead of his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc in Melbourne
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He said: "Charles Leclerc, second in the sister Ferrari, had the good grace to say that Sainz had been the faster driver in qualifying and the race.
"It must have hurt him that his walking-wounded team-mate, minus his appendix but carrying some scars, had outperformed him.
"And a new-found calm in the Ferrari team meant that the race strategies were efficiently delivered, particularly to keep Lando Norris at bay in the McLaren."
