By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz has been ruled out of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after being diagnosed with appendicitis.
Sainz will be replaced for the rest of the race weekend by the team’s 18-year-old reserve driver Oliver Bearman.
Sainz had been unwell for two days, saying Thursday practice was “one of my toughest days in a Formula 1 car.”
He had thought he had a stomach bug but appendicitis was diagnosed and he will require surgery.
A Ferrari statement read: “Carlos Sainz has been diagnosed with appendicitis and will require surgery.”
“As from FP3 and for the rest of this weekend, he will be replaced by reserve driver Oliver Bearman. Oliver will therefore take no further part in this round of the F2 Championship.”
“The Ferrari family wishes Carlos a speedy recovery.”
The development has handed a dramatic debut to Bearman, who is a reserve driver for both Ferrari and Haas this year. He made his F1 race weekend debut in Mexico last October, driving in first practice for Haas – a task he repeated at the season-ending race in Abu Dhabi as well.
Bearman was in Jeddah competing in the Formula 2 championship and had taken pole position for the feature race in qualifying on Thursday.
His appearance in the Ferrari will mark his full F1 debut, although he drove a Haas car in first practice at the Mexican and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix last year.
Ferrari have not said when Sainz will return to the cockpit.
In 2022, Williams driver Alex Albon missed the Italian Grand Prix with appendicitis and returned for the next race in Singapore.
The race after Saudi Arabia is the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on 20-22 March.