Carlos Sainz Jr. has admitted to suffering with “a bit of dizziness” both before and during the Russian Grand Prix, but felt confident to continue after it cleared.

Following a 46g accident in final practice at Sochi, the Spaniard was airlifted to a nearby hospital, but discharged in the evening after passing all medical tests. Three hours prior to the event, Sainz was cleared to race by FIA medical delegate Professor Jean-Charles Piette, along with the circuit’s chief medical officer.

Asked how he felt during the race, Sainz replied: “Being fully honest, in the first 10 laps, behind the safety car, doing so many ‘esses’ [weaving to warm the tires] I was feeling a bit dizzy.

“I don’t know if it was just mental because I was thinking about the accident, or if I was just feeling dizzy. But after lap 10 it went off and I could push normally without problems.”

Asked how he felt before the race, Sainz added: “Maybe a bit of dizziness. If I do some strange gestures my neck and back hurts a bit, but in the car I didn’t have any back or neck problems.

“Just that bit of dizziness in the first 10 laps behind the safety car. I opened up my visor and it improved.”

Sainz said he didn’t feel any sickness, adding: “No, just a bit warm, a bit exhausted.” He conceded to being “a bit” concerned by the dizziness in the early laps of the race.

“I said [to myself] ‘I hope it’s not like this all the race’, and it wasn’t. After lap 10 it went away and I could push normally, no problems at all.”

From last on the grid, Sainz managed to rise as high as seventh at one point, only for the brakes to fail on his car, forcing him into retirement after two spins on lap 46.

“Luckily I still had three other brakes to protect me and slow me down,” said Sainz. “It was the front left, and I also had a small brake failure in the rear left. Quite scary.

“From lap 20-something I knew something like that could happen, but I still committed to keep racing. Knowing I was P7 and I had big chances with the pace I had, I was committed to keep pushing, and if the accident happened it happened. It would have been quite heroic to finish.”