Formula 1 doctors have given Pascal Wehrlein the green light to race in Australia, following a back injury that marred his pre-season.

Wehrlein missed the first Barcelona test but returned without major issue for the final days of running before Melbourne.

"The back is all good now," the Sauber driver is quoted as saying by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

"I was in Austria again after the tests and got back to full training."

However, Wehrlein admits that his winter programme was affected, conceding recently that he could be behind the eight ball for the opening races of 2017.

"The situation is how it is," he said on Thursday. "I have to cope with that. But it should not be an excuse that I missed the first test week because it was my fault. The laps from the second test week must be enough."

The season-opening Australian Grand Prix gets under way at 6am BST on Sunday.