GP Qatar: Timetable, standings, track info, weather

GP Qatar times

There will be another adjusted program next weekend, because another sprint race will take place. This means that there will be qualifying for Sunday’s GP on Friday and that there will be a sprint qualification and a sprint race on Saturday. Max Verstappen only needs three points to become world champion, so there is a good chance that he will become champion on Saturday. After all, points can already be earned in the sprint race; eight for the winner, seven for the runner-up and so on. If Verstappen finishes sixth or higher on Saturday, he will be a three-time world champion.

Championship standings

It seemed almost impossible due to Red Bull’s dominance this year, but Sergio Pérez must now really be a bit concerned about his second place in the championship. Due to Checo’s winless weekend in Japan, Lewis Hamilton has moved one step closer to P2. It will be quite a challenge for the Briton to finish second, but it is not unthinkable. Further down we see that the McLaren drivers are climbing nicely. There is now no Alpine driver in the top 10 and Lance Stroll may also wonder whether he will remain among the ten top scorers this year. While teammate Fernando Alonso is still holding on to P4 for the time being.

The drivers’ championship will probably be decided next weekend (at least the winner), the constructors’ champion has already been announced. Red Bull picked up enough points in Japan to take the second title in a row. Now it is up to Mercedes to defend second place. That will be quite a task, because Ferrari has also been quite strong at times lately. Behind this, McLaren is starting to gain sight of fourth place in the championship. Given the current form of that team (and that of Aston Martin), it could well be that McLaren will still take it.

Circuit

The Qatar Grand Prix has only been on the Formula 1 calendar since 2021 and this year it will only take place for the second time. Yet the circuit on which the race takes place, the Lusail International Circuit, is a lot older. It was opened at the end of September 2004 and for many years it was mainly used for motorcycle racing. Just like the circuits where F1 races in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, extensive lighting has been installed around the Lusail circuit to ensure good racing in the dark at night. Due to the high temperatures in Qatar, it is not an unnecessary luxury for man and machine to drive in the somewhat cooler conditions.

The circuit, mainly designed for motorcycle racing, is characterized by its quite ‘fast bends’. It is therefore also a circuit that relies heavily on the endurance of the tires and the drivers. Anyone who has a good car in terms of grip in medium and high speed corners has a good chance here. On paper, Red Bull is again the absolute favorite here and it could be that Verstappen will win his third title with great force majeure. By the way, he was also fast here at the previous race in 2021: he set the still applicable fastest race lap of 1:23.196. However, it was Lewis Hamilton who won, further tightening the title battle for the end of that season.

Weather

You undoubtedly expected it in Qatar, but there is not a drop of precipitation in the forecast for next weekend. It is especially very warm there: the temperature fluctuates around 40 degrees all weekend. There will be a fairly strong wind on Friday and Saturday, so that could possibly play a role. Formula 1 cars can be quite sensitive to this due to their complex aerodynamics.