F1 News: Jeremy Clarkson Raises Formula One Complaints After Carlos Sainz's Impressive Australian GP Win

Jeremy Clarkson raises questions following Carlos Sainz's Australian Grand Prix victory.

Author:
Lydia Mee
Apr 01, 2024

The Grand Tour presenter Jeremy Clarkson has raised concerns about the ease of driving Formula One cars following Carlos Sainz's impressive win at the Australian Grand Prix, soon after recovering from appendix surgery.

Key Takeaways:

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz clinched his third F1 victory in Australia, shortly after undergoing surgery for appendicitis.
Clarkson suggests Sainz's successful post-surgery race might indicate that modern F1 cars are less challenging to drive.
Both Sainz and fellow driver Alex Albon, who also experienced appendicitis, describe unique driving sensations post-surgery, emphasising the sport's physical demands.

undefined — Scuderia Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz waves to the crowd during driver engagements at the Germania

Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman /

The recent Australian Grand Prix victory by Carlos Sainz has shifted the narrative from the usual race analysis to a discussion on the sport's physical demands. Having just recovered from an appendectomy, Sainz not only participated in the race but claimed the victory. This has led Jeremy Clarkson to question whether the current generation of F1 cars are too simplistic to pilot.

In his column for The Sun, Clarkson remarked:

“Just a few days after having his appendix out, Ferrari Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz flew to Australia, climbed into his car and won the race.

“Naturally, many people saw this as a heroic display of stiff-upper-lip determination and spunk.

“I wonder, though. We keep being told that these F1 cars are road-going fighter jets. That they are a volcanic o**y of noise and G-forces. And that you need to be superhuman to control one.

“Really? I only ask because Carlos, pictured in hospital, was plainly in some discomfort before the race but he seemed to manage for nearly two hours in the car.

“Which leads me to believe that walking up to a Formula 1 car is actually harder these days than driving it.”

Adding a personal perspective, Sainz shared:

“I feel like it’s exactly what Alex told me before jumping in the car.

“He said when he got his appendix removed, just with the G-force, everything on the inside just feels like it’s moving more than normal.

“You need some confidence to brace the core and the body as you used to do before, but you get used to it.

“There is no pain, there is nothing to worry about. It’s just a weird feeling that you have to get used to while driving.

“Especially the circuits where we’re pulling five or six G in some of the braking zones and corners. Obviously, everything is moving but without pain and I can deal with it and I can adapt to it also.”