Qatar GP – Race Track, Winners, Weather & All you need to know

The Qatar GP made its debut on the Formula 1 Calendar in the epic 2021 season. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen dominated proceedings, with the Mercedes and Red Bull fight already beyond boiling point. Fernando Alonso got his first podium after 7 years, as Lewis Hamilton took both pole and win. Here’s what lies in store for us.

The Track

The Qatar GP is held at the Lusail International Circuit. This circuit is located on the outskirts of Doha, the Capital City. It was built in 2004. It is about 5.4 kilometers long, with the main straight making up more than 1 kilometer.

There were doubts over the Qatar GP in 2021 because the Lusail Circuit was primarily built for motorcycle racing. However, the combination of medium- and high-speed corners proved to be a hit. The race was exciting with a lot of overtakes and good racing.

The Qatar GP took a gap in 2022 to host the FIFA World Cup. However, it is now back and will stay for at least 10 more years.

Also Read:

Sebastian Vettel says “You can never rule out” on Formula 1 return

Felipe Massa & legal team extend deadline for Formula 1 & FIA Response

Sprint Weekend and the First Sprint Champion?

The Qatar GP will be the 4^th sprint weekend of the 2023 Formula 1 season. The Qatar Sprint might provide an exciting stat. If Max Verstappen finishes 6^th or above in the Sprint, he will win the Formula 1 title on a Saturday.

Title #3 now loading…⏳@Max33Verstappen just needs to out-score his team mate by three points across the Qatar weekend to be crowned champion for the third time 👑👑👑#QatarGP #F1Sprint pic.twitter.com/SfzsLsRZgc

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 2, 2023

Previous Winners

There has only been one edition of the Qatar GP in Formula 1. The battle for the win boiled down to the two title protagonists that season: Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. The Mercedes was faster than the Red Bull that weekend.

Lewis Hamilton took pole, led every lap, and won the Qatar GP. Max Verstappen denied him a grand slam by stealing the fastest lap at the end. Fernando Alonso brought his Alpine home in 3^rd and took a memorable podium for the French team.

He's won EVERY Formula 1 race in Qatar to date… 🤯😉@LewisHamilton was victorious at our only trip to Lusail back in 2021, who will it be this year? 🏆#QatarGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/i6NKKjZG69

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 2, 2023

Weather This Weekend

The one thing the Middle East offers is a usually dry and sunny climate. The Qatar GP will hold up that trend according to predictions. The chance of rain across the three days is 0%.

Also Read: Lando Norris calls out Toto Wolff over Max Verstappen & Red Bull comments

Sergio Perez will have to pull off a miracle to drag his chances to the next Formula 1 round in Austin. However, with the Qatar GP similar to the Japanese GP, will McLaren be able to challenge Red Bull? We will find out this weekend.