Carlos Sainz will pay extra attention to his pre-race nutrition at this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix after a "poisoned" banana laid the Spanish driver low in Australia. Sainz said he almost vomited in his Renault car as he battled for 10th place in the season-opening race in Melbourne. "The valve of my drinks bottle was open so it was flowing water through and that, together with a banana I had before the race, that was tasting really, really bad," he explained. "I had a couple of bites and I think it gave me a bit of a digestion problem – and together with too much water in my stomach it was all stuck and I was struggling to digest." Looking ahead to this Sunday’s race in the desert, he said he would prepare more prudently. "No more poisoned bananas." <strong>______________</strong> <strong>Read more</strong> <strong>Bahrain Grand Prix talking points: <a href="https://www.thenational.ae/sport/f1/raikkonen-red-bull-and-haas-with-plenty-to-prove-bahrain-grand-prix-talking-points-1.719034">Kimi Raikkonen, Red Bull and Haas are having plenty to prove</a></strong> <strong>Comment: </strong><a href="https://www.thenational.ae/sport/f1/diversion-tactics-from-valtteri-bottas-cannot-hide-the-pressure-he-is-under-at-mercedes-gp-1.718650"><strong>Diversion tactics from Valtteri Bottas cannot hide the pressure he is under at Mercedes</strong></a> <strong>Analysis: </strong><a href="https://www.thenational.ae/sport/comment/verstappen-must-learn-lessons-from-australian-grand-prix-to-challenge-hamilton-and-vettel-for-title-1.716566"><strong>Verstappen must learn lessons from Australian to challenge Hamilton and Vettel for title</strong></a> <strong>Extra Time podcast: </strong><a href="https://www.thenational.ae/sport/f1/extra-time-podcast-tickets-on-sale-as-abu-dhabi-grand-prix-gears-up-for-10th-anniversary-1.716461"><strong>Tickets on sale as Abu Dhabi Grand Prix gears up for 10th anniversary</strong></a> <strong>______________</strong>