Having missed the Jeddah race, Sainz spent two weeks focusing on his recovery before returning to the cockpit for Friday practice at Albert Park.
Although he was fit to drive, his preparations were compromised by skipping training and not running in the Ferrari simulator.
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Despite that he had the edge on team-mate Charles Leclerc in qualifying and having passed the ailing Max Verstappen in the opening laps, he went on to lead a one-two for the Italian team.
“This winter we agreed together to push until the last lap of the season,” he said when asked by Autosport to sum-up Sainz’s performance.
“And he did a fantastic job. He was there in Bahrain, pushing the team also, and for sure Jeddah was a tough weekend, a tough weekend for Carlos, a tough weekend for the team.
“But the recovery is mega. You have to keep in mind that two weeks ago he was in the hospital. I think even Friday he was not 100 per cent sure to be able to drive.
Source: Autosport