Method 1 has solely been racing in Qatar on three earlier events, with one-off go to in 2021 earlier than the occasion joined the calendar completely two years’ in the past. A high-speed check that may put on out tires a lot there’s a 25-lap most stint size imposed this yr, the Lusail Worldwide Circuit pushes the boundaries of F1 equipment, and your information for a lap is the 2024 runner-up right here, Charles Leclerc.
“It is a actually, actually huge bodily problem, in all probability the most important of the season. The warmth is just not as a lot of a factor as two years in the past, as a result of now it is truly fairly contemporary within the night. However the truth that Pirelli is placing a 25-lap restrict to the stints makes us push like loopy for the entire race, which makes it very, very difficult bodily.
“It is also a really troublesome monitor general to grasp, as a result of there are such a lot of high-speed corners, so you need to be absolutely dedicated within the qualifying laps. And the smallest mistake in a high-speed nook is the top of that lap immediately, and you have simply obtained to start out once more. Whereas within the low pace, it is somewhat bit extra manageable everytime you do a mistake. In order that additionally makes it harder to grasp.
“The final sector is a key space of the monitor that you need to get proper. That is the place all of the high-speed sections are. It is also fairly tough with the bottoming of the automotive in these components, so that is the trickiest bit.
“It’s fairly clear that it’s essential to set the automotive up for high-speed corners, however then there are nonetheless some slow-speed or medium-speed corners that you just nonetheless should be robust at. So it is all the time a steadiness, however for certain, on a monitor like this, you arrange the automotive extra for the high-speed than you do for the low-speed, as there’s much more high-speed sections. However it would not make it simpler.
“It wasn’t the toughest monitor to handle when it got here to tires – I feel there are tracks which might be much more aggressive on tires – but it surely was extra the overheating, particularly the primary yr, due to the warmth. It was at a unique time of the yr, in order that made it troublesome. However to be pushing qualifying laps after qualifying laps for the entire race, that’s much more troublesome than I feel individuals would possibly assume.
“Usually, the distinction between a race push and a qualifying push, there’s fairly a little bit of a distinction. You have obtained to consider tires and the way in which these tires are going to evolve. Right here, it is all about full push and taking most threat, nook after nook, for 57 laps.
“No, it is fairly distinctive… Silverstone as nicely is a monitor that we are likely to push rather a lot, with all of the high-speed sections there. However right here, it is much more bodily.
“I prefer it, particularly for the night time race half. I really like night time races usually. My favorites are night time races in road tracks. It isn’t a road monitor, but it surely’s a extremely cool monitor too, and I really like high-speed as nicely. It is a very good monitor.”
AT A GLANCE:
Race distance: 57 laps/191.7 miles
2024 pole time: 1m20.575s (George Russell, Mercedes)
2024 winner: Max Verstappen, Pink Bull
QATAR GRAND PRIX WEEKEND SCHEDULE (all occasions ET):
Friday, November 28
8:25am – 9:30am – Free Follow 1, ESPNU
12:55pm – 1:30pm – Dash Qualifying, ESPNEWS
Saturday, November 29
8:55am – 10:00am – Dash, ESPN2
12:55pm – 2:00pm – Grand Prix Qualifying, ESPNEWS
Sunday, November 30
10:55am – 1:00pm – Qatar Grand Prix (57 laps or 120 minutes), ESPN2
