Qatar Grand Prix: Race Preview

Qatar first joined Formula 1’s calendar in 2021, with the Lusail International Circuit stepping in when the championship required a replacement venue during the pandemic. Qatar focused on its duties as host nation for the FIFA World Cup in 2022 but returned to the Formula 1 calendar full-time in 2023 to begin a 10-season contract at a renovated Lusail. For 2024 Qatar moves from October to December to slot in as the penultimate round of the record-breaking season.

Lusail is a high-speed circuit that has an abundance of long-radius medium- and high-speed corners, connected by full-throttle blasts. Across its 16-corner 5.4km lap only once do drivers need to dip below fourth gear, such is the speed carried through the turns, with the biggest challenge the trio of right-hand seventh-gear corners of Turn 12, 13 and 14, which drivers tackle in quick succession. That puts high energy levels through the tires, a predicament exacerbated by the requirement to attack Lusail’s aggressive entry and exit curbs, leading to tire supplier Pirelli having to mandate maximum stint lengths in 2023 for safety purposes.



Despite the night-based nature of Qatar’s event the temperature can also be a challenge, with hot ambient conditions accentuated last year by high humidity, which caused a severe physical trial for drivers. It is anticipated that such a predicament should be alleviated by the date shift of Qatar’s grand prix by almost two months.

Qatar’s 2024 grand prix will again feature F1 Sprint, marking the sixth and final running of the format for this year.

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team enters the Qatar Grand Prix in sixth position in the Constructors’ Championship on 50 points, with drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen again targeting points in their respective penultimate races for the team.

American racer Chloe Chambers, 20, will also be in action in round six of the 2024 F1 Academy season. Chambers, who competes for Campos Racing, currently holds fourth in the Drivers’ Standings.



Martin Poole, Human Performance Coach for Nico Hulkenberg:  

“Qatar is one of the most physically demanding tracks we visit. The ambient temperature is very hot, which we saw last year, but as we’re returning a few weeks later hopefully it will be a bit cooler. It’s still going to pose a big physical challenge for the drivers; it’s physical anyway, but with the heat it’s very difficult. It’s going to be very important to stay very well hydrated and we’ll be using all the cooling methods that we have available to us, such as the traditional ice bath, iced towels, making sure he’s drinking lots of cool drinks and staying out of the heat whenever possible. Moving from Vegas to Qatar timing-wise will be difficult, there’s no easy way to do it so we’ll do the best job we can to get into a good sleep pattern as soon as we get to Qatar. Nico’s quite good at sleeping well and finding time in the day to nap if he needs to, so I’m sure we’ll get through it.”



Nico Hulkenberg:

“Qatar last year was the first race since coming back where I was feeling it afterwards, the heat and humidity were extreme by the end of the race. This season, we’re racing nearly two months later, so conditions will be better. The sweeping nature of the track is a fun one with a nice flow and rhythm, and with it being the final Sprint of the season – we get two bites of the cherry.”



Kevin Magnussen:

“Qatar is the hardest race of the year probably. It’s super high-speed, and very unique in the sense that it’s more like a motorbike track rather than a Formula 1 track. It’s got very a very particular flow to it, you’re never really braking in a straight line, you’re more kind of sailing. It’s the final Sprint of the year, so that’s always another thing to think about, and the time zone change is going to be a challenge. Last year it was the opposite way around, we went from Qatar to America, and honestly it’s hard to figure it all out as it’s pretty hard to adjust, you can’t find a way around it, it just takes time, so we’re going to be jet-lagged!”