Carlos Sainz is lacking the opening day of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend actions at Interlagos as he recovers from sickness.
The Williams driver has been unwell over the previous few days and the staff confirmed he wouldn’t be coming to the monitor on Thursday, which is a setup day that entails drivers having to undertake obligatory media commitments in addition to engineering conferences.
RACER understands Sainz is hopeful of returning to motion on Friday for FP1, with the Dash weekend making the primary apply session significantly necessary forward of Dash qualifying later within the day.
The Spaniard most not too long ago missed a race via sickness in Saudi Arabia in 2024, when he was recognized with appendicitis and required surgical procedure throughout the race weekend. On that event he equally missed the media day however took half within the first two apply classes earlier than he was dominated out forward of FP3 and changed by Ollie Bearman.
Within the occasion that Williams requires a reserve driver at any stage throughout the Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend, it could actually name on Mercedes reserve Valtteri Bottas to meet the duties, as he’s on web site for Mercedes and accessible to its buyer groups the place obligatory.
Sainz is at present eleventh within the drivers’ championship on 38 factors after scoring a podium in Azerbaijan and ending third within the final Dash to be held in Austin two rounds in the past.
Interlagos noticed a driver change via sickness a yr in the past, when Kevin Magnussen was unwell and missed Friday for Haas, being changed by Oliver Bearman in a transfer that ultimately remained in place for the complete race weekend.
