Presentation of the Qatar Grand Prix: constructors’ title within reach

For the constructors’ title, McLaren 1 must leave Losail with a 45-point lead over its rivals to validate the team crown. Therefore, it will have to reacquire at least 21 points from Ferrari, and not concede more than eight to Red Bull .

The battle for sixth place looks fierce between Haas, Alpine, and Racing Bulls, with only a 4-point difference. Every point will matter, including those from the Sprint race, to separate these three teams.

Last season, it was Red Bull driver Max Verstappen who won the Qatar Grand Prix 2023. The Dutchman crossed the finish line ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and his teammate, Briton Lando Norris. Max Verstappen set the fastest lap of the race in 1:24.319 on the 56th lap of the race.

Changes on the track

After the tire issues that occurred last year, requiring pit stops every 18 laps due to wear caused by the pyramid curbs, Pirelli and Qatar circuit officials have collaborated to find a solution.

These rumble strips, known to damage tires, have been softened in seven of the 16 corners of the track, notably in the first two and the fast corners 12 to 14. Pirelli tested and validated these modifications in its factory to guarantee better reliability.

Losail Circuit

The layout of Losail, often compared to that of Bahrain in terms of shape, stands out with a greater presence of fast corners, contrasting with the numerous hairpins of Sakhir. The track is completely flat and its asphalt, initially designed for MotoGP.

With a length of 5.38 kilometers, the circuit has only one main straight line, equipped with the unique DRS zone, leading to a tight first turn followed by two fast curves.

First sector: It ends with two right angle turns, leading to the narrowest hairpin on the circuit.

Second sector: It begins with a tight right turn, followed by two fast curves and a tighter left turn (turn 10).

Third sector: It is composed almost exclusively of fast curves, up to the detection point of the DRS zone, located between turns 15 and 16. This last turn, tighter, brings the drivers back to the start/finish line.

In order to limit excursions beyond the rumble strips, a gravel strip has been added in these areas to deter drivers from excessively cutting corners.

Pirelli’s choice

Unlike the last race in Las Vegas, where the three softest compounds were chosen, this weekend will see the use of the three hardest compounds, with Pirelli bringing the C1 as hard, the C2 as medium, and the C3 as soft. Given that it is a Sprint weekend, the tire allocation is reduced from 13 to 12 sets, with two sets of hard tires (marked in white), four sets of mediums (marked in yellow), and six sets of softs (marked in red). The number of sets for wet conditions remains unchanged, with five intermediates and two for rain.

During last year’s Qatar Grand Prix, teams were only allowed to use a new set of tires for a maximum of 18 laps, after Pirelli expressed concerns about the tires interacting with the rumble strips, causing separation between the surface compound and the carcass cords. This constraint forced all drivers to make three pit stops during the race.