Carlos Sainz‘s Australian Grand Prix victory was made all the more impressive after he bounced back from appendix surgery to triumph in Melbourne.

But the after-effects of the operation were clear for all to see as the Spaniard tentatively emerged from his car after the race in parc ferme.

Unlike the all-conquering Max Veratappen, who bounds out of his Red Bull after each victory, Sainz sorely lifted himself from his Ferrari SF-24, throwing a few weak fist pumps.

But that was an outstanding effort given the fact he was barely able to get out of bed before boarding his flight to Australia.

‘Life sometimes is crazy,’ he said.

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Carlos Sainz was still feeling the after effects of his surgery

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The Spaniard tentatively slid out of his Ferrari on Sundag

‘What happened at the beginning of the year (not being renewed at Ferrari), then the appendix and the comeback and the win – a rollercoaster, but I love it.’

Sainz revealed he went to dramatic lengths in a bid to be fit to race, including spending two hours a day in a hyperbaric chamber.

‘When I was about to catch my flight to Australia, I was still in bed and could barely use my abdominal muscles,’ he said.

‘I was like ‘this isn’t going to happen’. But I took the flight and suddenly when I landed in Australia, the feeling was a lot better.’

Verstappen’s bid to win a 10th straight race for the second time in less than 12 months ended after his brakes exploded and his car caught on fire.

After cantering to wins in the opening two races of the season, Verstappen was a red hot favourite to go back-to-back after winning at Albert Park for the first time last year.

The three-time defending world champion started on pole but Sainz, who qualified second, overtook him on the second lap.

Soon afterwards, smoke appeared at the rear of the 26-year-old’s car and he was forced into the pits on lap three, with no hope of a return.

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Sainz won the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon in Melbourne

‘My right rear brake basically stuck on from when the lights went off,’ Verstappen said.

‘We had a lot of good races in a row, I knew that the day would come when you end up having a retirement and unfortunately that day was today.’

Verstappen, who was also forced to retire at Albert Park in 2022, had won nine straight races, dating back to the Japanese Grand Prix last September.

Sainz was the last driver, in Singapore last September, other than Verstappen to win a F1 race.