Formula One Preview: Qatar Grand Prix
- Elaina Russell
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
Written by Elaina Russell, Edited by Morgan Holiday
The Las Vegas Grand Prix detonated the championship picture in spectacular fashion. Max Verstappen controlled the race under the Strip lights, yet the real shock came hours later when both McLarens were disqualified (DSQ) for excessive skid wear. The revised results have tightened the title fight to its sharpest point all season.
As the paddock lands under the floodlights at Lusail there is a sense of anticipation, tension and opportunity throughout the field. Qatar has hosted some of the most physically demanding racing on the calendar, with high-speed corners that punish hesitation and reward confidence. With a sprint weekend on deck and a championship hanging in the balance, the stakes are higher than they’ve been this season.
Here is DIVEBOMB’s preview for the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix.
Circuit guide
The 5.419-kilometre Lusail International Circuit has been a staple of modern F1 since its first Grand Prix back in 2021. Built originally for MotoGP, the track sits north of Doha and flows through medium and high-speed corners that will encourage commitment from drivers come race-day. The one kilometre-long main straight offers ample slipstreaming opportunities and a reliable overtaking zone into Turn 1.
Lusail’s layout rewards aerodynamic efficiency, stable front-end rotation and requires confidence to attack laps without fear of snap oversteer. With just 57 laps totalling 308.611 kilometres and the fastest lap record set just last year by Lando Norris at 1:22.384, the circuit naturally exposes any imbalance in car performance. Teams with strong tyre management often excel here, while aggressive set-ups are more likely to falter across the long runs.
Weekend format
Qatar hosts the final sprint weekend of the 2025 season. The sprint format remains unchanged, with a single practice session on Friday before the Sprint sessions and Qualifying on Saturday and the Grand Prix on Sunday.
Session times (GMT)
Practice 1: Fri 13:30
Sprint Qualifying: Fri 17:30
Sprint: Sat 14:00
Qualifying: Sat 18:00
Race: Sun 16:00
Weather forecast
Clear skies and an expected breeze set the tone for a stable weekend in Doha. Forecasts predict dry running across all three days of track action, with temperatures hovering between 23-24 degrees celsius.
The relatively mild desert evening conditions will help limit extreme tyre degradation and may encourage more aggressive strategy windows. Wind direction could still play a role, particularly through the sweeping Turns 12 to 14 where crosswinds can unsettle even the most experienced of drivers.
Last race recap
The 2025 season arrives in Qatar with the championship picture just out of focus. McLaren’s Norris and Oscar Piastri were stripped from the Las Vegas results after both cars failed post-race technical inspections. Their skid blocks fell below the minimum permitted thickness, resulting in immediate disqualification and a major shake-up in the title fight.
The ramifications were significant. Norris’ once-comfortable advantage shrank to 24 points. Piastri, who had been chasing his teammate for months, now finds himself tied with Verstappen after the Dutchman sealed a commanding win in Vegas. The DSQs have thrown the title fight wide open and placed immense pressure on McLaren as they attempt to contain both the competitive and psychological fallout.
With two rounds remaining, every point matters. Qatar, as a sprint weekend, offers a maximum of 33 of them.
Major talking points
Norris could win the title in Qatar, though only on Sunday. With 58 points left on the table across two race weekends and his lead at 24 over both Piastri and Verstappen, the scenario is straightforward: Norris must outscore both drivers by at least two points over the weekend. It is achievable, but Qatar is notoriously punishing on both inconsistency and mistakes.
The sprint adds another layer of volatility. A weak session, a poor tyre call or a moment of hesitation in traffic could drastically swing momentum before the main event. With two aggressive title rivals chasing from behind, Norris cannot rely on damage limitation. He needs clarity, precision and no repeats of the technical risks that cost McLaren so dearly in Vegas.
Complicating the fight further is the newly introduced mandatory two-stop rule, with tyre stints capped at 25 laps each. The Grand Prix becomes three short sprints rather than a conventional race, putting a premium on pit execution and cars that can switch on their tyres instantly. It plays to Piastri’s strengths but also tightens pit windows across the field, removing creative strategy options and leaving frontrunners exposed to even the smallest operational slip. For Norris, the rule compresses the race into a high-pressure sequence of restarts where he cannot afford a single misstep.
Verstappen, meanwhile, will arrive energised in Qatar. His Vegas performance was reminiscent of his peak dominance, and Red Bull’s straight-line efficiency should translate well to Lusail. Piastri, tied with Verstappen, must arrest his slide in form and rediscover the mid-season sharpness that once made him the championship leader for 15 consecutive rounds.
Mercedes and Ferrari also enter the weekend with renewed intrigue. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli claimed podiums post-DSQ, and Ferrari showed intermittent pace in Vegas. McLaren’s stumble means they are both back in the hunt for late-season glory.
Drivers to watch
Lando Norris: Norris carries the championship lead into a circuit where commitment on turn-in matters as much as tyre discipline. He has the speed to control the weekend, but the pressure is immense and the ripple effects of the Vegas DSQ linger. Qatar could define his season.
Max Verstappen: Fresh from a dominant win, Verstappen is armed with momentum and a car well-suited to Lusail’s high-speed flow. If Red Bull maintain Vegas-level balance through the medium-speed corners, and McLaren falters on every front, Verstappen may emerge from Qatar with the championship lead for the first time in months.
Oscar Piastri: Piastri’s season has drifted from dominance to damage limitation and Qatar will be a crossroads for him. He has tied Verstappen in the standings despite the DSQ, yet has not outperformed Norris in several rounds. Lusail’s demands on rhythm and precision play to his strengths but only if he can reconnect with the sharpness he showed earlier in the season. This weekend is an opportunity to reset his title bid or watch it slip from his hands.
Past Qatar Grands Prix
Qatar first appeared here on the F1 calendar back in 2021, where Lewis Hamilton dominated to keep his title hopes alive in the memorable Hamilton-Verstappen showdown. The 2023 and 2024 editions cemented the circuit’s reputation as one of F1’s most physically demanding venues, with drivers battling high speeds, relentless cornering loads and unpredictable winds.
Last season's race saw Verstappen win from pole with Norris setting the current lap record, underlining how potent both Red Bull and McLaren can be at Lusail when conditions suit their package. Historically, races here are shaped by tyre wear, pit-window discipline and the bravery to commit fully to the long, sweeping arcs. The 2025 edition promises no less.
Elaina’s Prediction
Verstappen and Norris look poised to go blow for blow all weekend, and the sprint format only adds fuel to a title fight now boiling over. Red Bull’s straight-line strength feels decisive, but McLaren’s cornering stability on high-speed circuits cannot be dismissed.
My prediction: Norris steadies himself after the Vegas chaos but Verstappen takes the main spoils in Qatar, dragging the championship to a final round decider in Abu Dhabi. Expect a potential Piastri podium or Mercedes disrupting the top three once more.
