1124th F1 GRAND PRIX | 3rd QATAR GRAND PRIX | 3rd GRAND PRIX AT LOSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT
2023 POLESITTER: MAX VERSTAPPEN | 2023 WINNER: MAX VERSTAPPEN
Formula 1 visited Qatar for the first time in 2021 and returned as part of a ten-year deal in 2023. The 2024 Qatar Grand Prix is set to take place on December 1.
2024 QATAR GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday November 29
Free Practice 1 – TBC Local Time / TBC UK Time
Qualifying – TBC Local Time / TBC UK Time
Saturday November 30
Sprint Shootout – TBC Local Time / TBC UK Time
Sprint – TBC Local Time / TBC UK Time
Sunday December 1
The 2024 Qatar Grand Prix – 8:00pm Local Time / 5:00pm UK Time
2024 QATAR GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND MILESTONES
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are currently tied for most Qatar Grand Prix victories with one apiece. Either driver could set a new record this weekend, while their respective teams could become the first to record multiple wins at the event.
Max Verstappen could become the first driver to take back-to-back Qatar Grand Prix victories, while a win for either Red Bull driver would make them the first team to record successive wins at Lusail Circuit.
Only Max Verstappen has multiple podium finishes at the Qatar Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton or Oscar Piastri could join him at the top of the list this weekend, or Verstappen could extend the record to three top three finishes at the track.
READ MORE IN MILESTONES AND RECORDS TO BREAK
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2024 QATAR GRAND PRIX
WHAT HAS CHANGED AT THE CIRCUIT SINCE LAST YEAR?
Any changes to the circuit since the previous F1 race at the track will be posted here.
HOW MANY DRS ZONES WILL THERE BE AT THE 2024 QATAR GRAND PRIX?
It’s yet to be announced how many DRS zones there will be at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. In the last two races at the circuit, there has been a single DRS zone. It is located on the pit straight.
WHO WILL BE IN THE 2024 QATAR GRAND PRIX PRESS CONFERENCES?
The world’s media will have the opportunity to talk to the drivers ahead of the on-track action. The drivers appearing in the press conference for this race are yet to be announced.
The media will also be talking to prominent members of Formula 1’s teams in a separate press conference over the race weekend. The team members appearing in the press conference are yet to be announced.
WHO WILL BE THE RACE DIRECTOR AT THE 2024 QATAR GRAND PRIX?
Niels Wittich will be the race director at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix.
WHO WILL BE THE DRIVER STEWARD AT THE 2024 QATAR GRAND PRIX?
Each weekend a former Formula 1 driver, or a driver from another prominent series of motorsport, joins the stewards to help judge any incidents from a drivers’ perspective. The Driver Steward this weekend is yet to be announced.
WHICH TYRE COMPOUNDS WILL BE USED AT THE 2024 QATAR GRAND PRIX?
Pirelli are yet to announce which tyre compounds will be used at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. The C1, C2 and C3 compounds were used in the previous two races at the track.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME AT THE QATAR GRAND PRIX?
Verstappen won his third title in the Sprint race at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix on a weekend which was dominated by tyre concerns.
Formula 1 returned to Lusail Circuit for the first time since 2021, where Max Verstappen could win the title. The 2023 Qatar Grand Prix was the fourth Sprint event of the season, meaning there was a single hour practice – in dusty and unrepresentative conditions – ahead of qualifying.
Both Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez were eliminated in Q2 in qualifying for the Grand Prix, in which Verstappen secured pole position ahead of Lando Norris, George Russell and Oscar Piastri. Both McLaren drivers had their lap times deleted, however, for exceeding track limits, which promoted Lewis Hamilton into the top three on the grid.
After analysis of the tyres following Friday’s running, Pirelli expressed concerns over damage sustained to the rubber by the circuit’s kerbs. It led to an 18-lap maximum tyre stint being enforced by the FIA and track limits were altered at a number of turns, which led to a ‘Practice Familiarisation Session’ taking place ahead of Saturday’s Sprint Shootout.
McLaren displayed the pace they had shown on Friday once again in the Sprint Shootout and this time neither of their fastest lap times were deleted. Piastri secured pole for the Sprint, qualifying 0.082 seconds ahead of Norris.
Norris dropped back at the start of the Sprint, with Piastri leading from Russell and Carlos Sainz. Towards the back, Liam Lawson spun out on what was to be his final weekend appearance in 2023 for AlphaTauri, bringing out the Safety Car.
Alonso and Norris battled over sixth place on the restart lap, while Russell took the lead of the Sprint a few corners later on his soft tyres, compared to Piastri’s mediums. Another Safety Car deployment was needed when Logan Sargeant beached his Williams in the gravel.
Piastri came under pressure from Sainz for second place at the second restart of the Sprint but the Ferrari could not make a move stick. The other Ferrari of Charles Leclerc was passed by Verstappen, who was in a potentially-title-winning position.
The drivers on soft tyres began to struggle at the halfway point, which allowed Piastri to re-take the lead at the start of Lap 11. Norris also reclaimed positions before Esteban Ocon, Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez made contact. It brought out the Safety Car once more and Perez’s retirement confirmed that Verstappen would be crowned World Champion for the third time.
Despite coming under pressure from Verstappen in the closing stages, Piastri held on to claim his first Sprint victory while McLaren team-mate Norris secured a top three finish.
Come Sunday, the newly-crowned champion was back at the front of the pack for the Grand Prix, starting ahead of the two Mercedes. Russell and Hamilton made contact at Turn 1, eliminating Hamilton from the race and putting Piastri up to second place.
There was a clean restart after a Safety Car period, where Russell began his fight back after his first lap pit stop. Russell gained positions throughout the opening stint, running as high as second place by Lap 14. Russell’s final pit stop demoted him to fourth, while Norris worked his way up to a net third, coming out just behind his team-mate after his final stop.
The drivers struggled in the extremely hot conditions. Logan Sargeant was forced to withdraw from the Grand Prix after falling ill with just under 20 laps to go. Verstappen secured a lights to flag victory, ahead of the two McLaren drivers, with Piastri finishing as runner-up for the first time in his career.
WHAT’S THE FASTEST EVER LAP AT THE QATAR GRAND PRIX?
Attending the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix? Learn more about visiting Losail International Circuit in the F1Destinations Travel Guide.
