OFF TRACK
F1 star Carlos Sainz to undergo emergency surgery as he is forced to withdraw from Saudi Arabian GP hours before race
Brit driver and former F4 champ called up to replace him
CARLOS SAINZ will miss the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to undergo emergency surgery.
The 29-year-old has been diagnosed with appendicitis.
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He is now reportedly in hospital, having fallen ill since touching down in Jeddah earlier this week.
Sainz came third in the opening race of the season in Bahrain last weekend.
But tomorrow's Saudi GP will see Oliver Bearman replace him.
The Brit reserve driver has been promoted after securing pole in F2 qualifying this week.
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Bearman, 18, has been tipped as a future star after he was snapped up as part of Ferrari's young driver scheme.
His road to the top began as he won the F4 series in both Italy and Germany in 2021.
After climbing up to F3, the teen sensation finished in third and was promoted to F2 last year with Prema Racing.
The Chelmsford-born racer featured in Mexico City and Abu Dhabi practice sessions with Haas during the 2023 season.
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He impressed in Mexico where he became Britain's youngest ever F1 driver, finishing ahead of two-time world champion Fernando Alonso in practice.
His best lap time in Mexico City - in a Haas - was just 1.6 seconds slower than triple world champion Max Verstappen, and three tenths adrift of experienced teammate, Nico Hulkenberg.
Bearman will be the 165th British F1 driver and the first to get behind the wheel of a Ferrari car since Eddie Irvine 25 years ago.
His chance comes ahead of Lewis Hamilton's switch to Ferrari in 2025 but Bearman says it was fellow Brit Jenson Button who was his boyhood hero.
Sainz is being released by Ferrari at the end of the season to make way for Hamilton and is yet to find a seat for 2025.
Who is Oliver Bearman?
By Ben Hunt
Raised in Chelmsford, and schooled at King Edward VI Grammar, Bearman joined Ferrari's driver academy, aged only 16.
He quit school -- against his mum's request and moved to Modena close to Ferrari's headquarters in northern Italy.
The teenager drove for the Haas last season in the practice sessions in Mexico City and Abu Dhabi.
He impressed and became Britain's youngest ever F1 driver, finishing ahead of two-time world champion Fernando Alonso in practice.
His best lap time - in a Haas - was just 1.6 seconds slower than Max Verstappen.
He has previously won the Italian Formula Formula 4 and German Formula 4 titles, both in 2021.
Last year, he was sixth in the Formula Two championship and on Thursday he qualified for the F2 race here in Saudi Arabia on pole.
However, he will now ditch his F2 commitments for this weekend after being promoted to replace Sainz.
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