1097th F1 GRAND PRIX | 2nd QATAR GRAND PRIX | 2nd GRAND PRIX AT LOSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT
2021 POLESITTER: LEWIS HAMILTON | 2021 WINNER: LEWIS HAMILTON
Formula 1 visited Qatar for the first time in 2021 and returns as part of a ten-year deal in 2023. The 2023 Qatar Grand Prix is set to take place on October 6-8.
2023 QATAR GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday 6th October
Free Practice 1 – 1:30pm Local Time / 11:30am UK Time
Qualifying – 5:00pm Local Time / 3:00pm UK Time
Saturday 7th October
Free Practice 3 – 1:30pm Local Time / 11:30am UK Time
Sprint – 5:30pm Local Time / 3:30pm UK Time
Sunday 8th October
The 2023 Qatar Grand Prix – 5:00pm Local Time / 3:00pm UK Time
2023 QATAR GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND MILESTONES
This will be the second time that Formula 1 has raced in Qatar. After its debut in 2021, Losail International Circuit returns to host its second F1 race – the second race in a ten-year deal Formula 1 has signed with Qatar.
The grid for the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix will be determined by the result of a Saturday sprint race. This will be the tenth race to use the F1 Sprint since it was introduced at the 2021 British Grand Prix.
The 2023 Qatar Grand Prix will be the seventh round of the World Championship to be held on October 8. The last race held on this date was the 2017 Japanese Grand Prix.
The 43rd lap of the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix will be the 100th Grand Prix racing lap to take place at Losail International Circuit.
READ MORE IN MILESTONES AND RECORDS TO BREAK
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2023 QATAR GRAND PRIX
WHAT HAS CHANGED AT THE CIRCUIT SINCE LAST YEAR?
Changes to the circuit since the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix will be posted here.
HOW MANY DRS ZONES WILL THERE BE AT THE 2023 QATAR GRAND PRIX?
It’s yet to be announced how many DRS zones there will be at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix. There was a single DRS zone at the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix, located on the main straight.
LOSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT TRACK GUIDE
COMING SOON
READ MORE IN OUR ULTIMATE TRACK GUIDE
WHO WILL BE IN THE 2023 QATAR GRAND PRIX PRESS CONFERENCES?
The world’s media will have the opportunity to talk to the drivers on Friday morning before the opening practice session. The drivers appearing in the press conference are yet to be announced.
The media will also be talking to prominent members of Formula 1’s teams on Saturday morning. It’s yet to be announced which team members will appear in the press conference.
WHO WILL BE THE RACE DIRECTOR AT THE 2023 QATAR GRAND PRIX?
Niels Wittich will be the race director at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix.
WHO WILL BE THE DRIVER STEWARD AT THE 2023 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.
WEATHER FORECAST FOR THE QATAR GRAND PRIX
The weather forecast for the week ahead at the circuit currently looks like this:
WHICH TYRE COMPOUNDS WILL BE USED AT THE 2023 QATAR GRAND PRIX?
Pirelli have not yet announced which tyre compounds will be used at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix. The C1, C2 and C3 compounds were used in 2021.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME AT THE QATAR GRAND PRIX?
Formula 1 raced in Qatar for the first time in 2021. As Hamilton and Verstappen’s championship battle raged on, Alonso recorded his first podium finish in over seven years.
Drivers got accustomed to Losail International Circuit throughout the practice sessions. For many – all except Sergio Perez and Nikita Mazepin – this was a venue at which they had never driven before.
While both Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez were eliminated in Q2, qualifying saw a familiar top three set the fastest times, with Lewis Hamilton quickest, Max Verstappen second and Valtteri Bottas third. However, grid penalties for Verstappen and Bottas promoted Pierre Gasly to the front row of the grid – despite picking up a puncture in the closing stages of Q3 – and Fernando Alonso to third.
The top three maintained position at the start of the race, though Alonso passed Gasly after only a few corners. Verstappen made a storming start and moved up to fourth place, soon pressurising Gasly for third. A wide moment for the AlphaTauri aided Verstappen’s pursuit. The Red Bull was soon on the tail of Alonso’s Alpine, with Verstappen making quick work of passing the Spaniard.
Perez, in the other Red Bull, was also making progress, getting up to fourth place by Lap 16, while Leclerc was having a tougher time making up for his poor Saturday showing. Bottas was also making gains, but a puncture on Lap 34 undid all of his hard work. Bottas’ issue made other teams wary of keeping their cars out too long on a single set of tyres. Both George Russell and Nicholas Latifi became victims of punctures later on in the race.
After his second stop, Perez was seventh and chasing down those ahead for a potential podium finish. Alonso was running in the podium positions at the time and came under increasing pressure in the closing stages of the race.
Perez’s hunt did not result in a podium reward. Hamilton dominated the race and won from pole, Verstappen followed his title rival over the line in second place and Alonso recorded his first podium finish since the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix.
WHAT’S THE FASTEST EVER LAP AT THE QATAR GRAND PRIX?
Attending the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix? Learn more about visiting Losail International Circuit in the F1Destinations Travel Guide.
