GET TO KNOW
THE CIRCUIT
If you live in the northern hemisphere and the thought of escaping colder climes in November appeals, you’ll be well catered for in Qatar, with average temperatures around 28 degrees Celsius at that time of year.
What’s the circuit like?
Designed primarily with motorcycle racing in mind, the 5.4-kilometre Lusail International Circuit is a fast and flowing track, where medium- and high-speed corners predominate. Over one kilometre of the track’s total length is made up of the main straight, which provides plenty of overtaking opportunities into Turn 1.
When was the track built?
The Lusail International Circuit, located on the outskirts of the capital city of Doha, was built in preparation for hosting Qatar’s first ever MotoGP event in 2004, with the circuit completed in just over a year.
When was its first Grand Prix?
2021 represented the first time Qatar had ever hosted the FIA Formula One World Championship – with the country signing an additional 10-year deal to host the sport from 2023.
SAFETY CAR
PROBABILITY:
VSC
PROBABILITY:
Trivia
2021 represented the first time Qatar had ever hosted an F1 race
FIRST GRAND PRIX:
2021
TRACK LENGTH:
5.419km
LAP RECORD:
1m 22.384s
Lando Norris (2024)
Previous winners
2024 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2023 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2021 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
Previous polesitters
2024 George Russell (Mercedes)
2023 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2021 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
PIT STOP
TIME LOSS
26.3s
(including 2.5s stationary)
OVERTAKES COMPLETED IN 2024:
81
POLE RUN TO TURN 1 BRAKING POINT:
The Driver's Verdict
Jolyon Palmer
Former Renault F1 driver
Qatar is full of medium-speed corners and flowing sections. Given that it’s not a huge braking circuit, it’s just about finding the optimum downforce level for the car.
There’s one good overtaking opportunity, and that comes down the lengthy start/finish straight.
The kerbs can be quite punishing, so drivers will need to be careful there, but conversely, as it’s a night race, that will help the tyres a little bit compared to the afternoon heat.
Current Form
What can be expected going into the Grand Prix weekend?
Las Vegas brought a huge twist in the 2025 title race, with Lando Norris initially moving one step closer to securing the crown, only for both McLarens to be disqualified post-race over excessive plank wear.
Had Norris kept his P2 finish, he would have been 30 points clear of team mate Oscar Piastri and 42 ahead of Red Bull rival Max Verstappen going into the final two rounds. Instead, he is a much-reduced 24 points ahead of Verstappen and Piastri, who are now equal on points.
With 58 points still up for grabs across this weekend in Qatar (which features the Sprint format) and Abu Dhabi, it is still very much a three-way fight – and very much all to play for.
As touched on above, Verstappen has form at the Lusail International Circuit, finishing second in the 2021 Grand Prix and triumphing in 2023 and 2024, though McLaren and Piastri have won the Sprints here over the last two years.
While there will be plenty of eyes on the Drivers’ Championship, and who out of Norris, Piastri and Verstappen emerges on top, there are similarly fierce scraps to be settled by various teams.
Mercedes now hold the advantage in the race for P2, sitting 40 points up on Red Bull and a further 13 up on Ferrari, while just 22 points cover Racing Bulls in P6 to Kick Sauber in P9.
A long list of reasons to stay tuned to the action, then, with F1.com on hand to bring you all the coverage and reaction from every twist and turn...
Iconic Moment
2023 Sprint
As is the case this year, Qatar played host to the Sprint when it made its return to the calendar in 2023 following a one-year hiatus.
The star of the 100km dash was undoubtedly Oscar Piastri, with the Australian taking pole position for the event before making a strong start off the line.
While he faced pressure from George Russell at the restart following a Safety Car period – allowing the Mercedes to ultimately take the lead – Piastri was the one to benefit from a later Safety Car deployment as he surged back into P1 when the action resumed.
From there the McLaren man kept his cool in humid conditions to claim his first victory of any kind in Formula 1.
