Max Verstappen claimed his fourth Formula 1 world title on Saturday at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, but the constructors’ championship is yet to be decided.
McLaren’s poor performance in Las Vegas means Ferrari has managed to eat into their lead. With two races remaining, the last trophy is still to play for.
Qatar is usually a physically demanding race and sees a big shift in time zone and temperature from the a night race in the cold Nevada desert straight to the warm climes of Doha.
The Qatar Grand Prix is slightly later than in previous years to make adjustments for the heat. The weather forecast is for highs of 24°C and lows of 18°C, with humidity around 58%.
How the championships look
McLaren lead the constructors’ championship by 19 points over Ferrari, with five wins apiece.
While Verstappen has now wrapped up the drivers’ title, McLaren’s Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc are locked in a battle for second place, with the Brit 21 points ahead despite both having won three times this season.
Qatar is the final sprint race of the year, with points on offer for Saturday and Sunday, before the season finale in Abu Dhabi next week.
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Circuit stats and history
Lusail International Circuit served as a motorbike circuit prior to joining the F1 calendar in 2021, on a 10-year contract. Qatar did not host a grand prix in 2022 as they focused on the FIFA World Cup, but it returned in 2023.
The circuit is one of the most demanding on the calendar with long straights and sweeping high-speed corners coupled with intense heat and humidity, making conditions for the cars and drivers difficult.
Laps: 57 laps of 5.4km. Total distance 308km.
Lap record: 1:24.319, Verstappen (2023)
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