Winning on his return to F1: Gerhard Berger did it before Sainz | FP

The stop for appendicitis

The victory of Carlos Sainz in the last Australian Grand Prix represents a true sporting feat achieved by the Spanish Ferrari driver, especially considering what he had to suffer in the two weeks preceding the Melbourne weekend. Forced to skip the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for pain caused byappendicitis during free practice, Ferrari called in Oliver Bearman as his replacement, all while Sainz then underwent a surgery.

Immediately winner on the return leg

The uncertainty regarding his regular participation in Australia vanished after the medical examinations he passed close to the weekend, as did the doubts about his form: 2nd in qualifying behind Verstappen, Sainz took the lead in the race after the Dutchman's retirement due to brake failure, maintaining the lead and taking his third career victory. Few would have expected the success of the Spaniard upon his return after health problems, just as there were question marks regarding Gerhard Berger before German Grand Prix 1997. Even on that occasion, the Austrian returned to F1 after three weekends of absence for health reasons (and not only), winning immediately at Hockenheim and becoming the last pilot of the history of the Circus, before Sainz, a climb to the top step of the podium on the return leg.

The reasons for the absence

Unlike the Ferrari driver, who did not participate in a single weekend, Berger's absence was longer. Before the 1997 Canadian Grand Prix, the Benetton made another Austrian driver like Alexander Wurz official to replace the former McLaren and Ferrari driver, in this case for two reasons: in addition toparanasal sinus surgeryBerger also had to deal with the death of his father, who died in a plane crash. After Montreal, therefore, he also missed subsequent appointments in France and Great Britain, thus not participating in three weekends.

Domination at Hockenheim

Upon returning to Germany, on the old version of the Hockenheim track, Berger surprised everyone already in qualifying, taking pole position by just 23 thousandths of an advantage over Giancarlo Fisichella's Jordan. In command for almost the entire race, the Austrian won ahead of home idol Michael Schumacher, who gave Fisichella a lift to the pits after the checkered flag, who had been stopped on the side of the track due to a tire explosion. Benetton achieved the 27th and final victory (as well as the only one with an Italian licence), but the German GP was also the tenth and Gerhard Berger's last victoryin what was also his last season of his career.