In an eventful practice session for Sunday's grand prix, which returns to the schedule after a five-year absence, drivers had to wait out a brief stoppage early on due to a small fire next to the track, which led to a red flag.
It's quite a remarkable situation for a man who is one of F1's most in-form drivers, the only competitor to beat Red Bull to a race win since November 2022. The biggest compliment to Sainz's performances compared with those of teammate Charles Leclerc is that the question has been raised of whether Ferrari has binned the wrong driver for next year.
The 2025 calendar, which marks the 75th anniversary of the F1 world championship, will see Melbourne host the opening round for the first time since 2019.