F1 Qatar GP 2024: Final Sprint Race of the Year Heats Up “Three-Way Battle”

The 2024 Formula 1 season is nearing its climax with two final races in the Middle East, at Qatar and Abu Dhabi, promising intense competition. While Max Verstappen has already secured his fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship, the battle for supremacy in the Constructors’ Championship is far from over. McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull remain locked in a fierce contest, with 103 points still up for grabs.

From Las Vegas to Qatar: A Grueling Transition

The Qatar GP at the Lusail International Circuit marks the penultimate race of the longest F1 season in history. It also serves as the final Sprint Race of the year, making it a crucial opportunity for teams and drivers to secure additional points. However, the logistical and physical challenges of back-to-back night races in Doha and Las Vegas add an extra layer of difficulty.

• Las Vegas featured a street circuit with medium-to-low-speed corners and cold conditions, where track temperatures barely rose above 10°C.
• Qatar, on the other hand, boasts a permanent track with medium-to-high-speed corners under significantly warmer conditions of around 25°C.

Covering a distance of nearly 13,000 kilometers across 11 time zones, teams and drivers face a grueling schedule that will test their endurance.

Tire Strategy: Key to Victory in Qatar

The Lusail International Circuit is known for its punishing demands on tires, a factor highlighted during the 2023 Qatar GP, where concerns over tire durability forced every driver to make at least three pit stops. For this year’s race, the FIA and Pirelli have implemented several measures to address these challenges:

• Tire Compounds: The hardest compounds in the 2024 range (C1, C2, C3) will be used to withstand high loads and cornering forces.
• Kerb Redesign: Pyramidal kerbs, which caused micro-tears in tires last year, have been rounded at seven key corners, including turns 1, 4, 10, and 12-14.
• Gravel Barriers: Added outside specific kerbs to discourage drivers from exceeding track limits to gain an advantage.

These changes aim to ensure a safer and more competitive race, but tire wear and degradation remain critical factors.

Weather Conditions and Driver Fitness

This year’s Qatar GP will benefit from being held a month later than usual, avoiding the extreme humidity and high temperatures that plagued the 2023 race. Last year, several drivers struggled with exhaustion, and one even retired due to cockpit heat.
To address such issues, the FIA has approved the use of standardized cockpit cooling systems for races in hot climates, starting next season.

However, the Lusail Circuit’s surface temperatures and high-speed layout will likely still cause graining (tire blistering) similar to that in Las Vegas, but for opposite reasons: while Las Vegas had low grip due to cold weather, Qatar’s higher temperatures and cornering forces create intense wear.

Qatar GP History and Expectations

Qatar’s F1 history includes thrilling battles:

• 2021: Lewis Hamilton dominated with two pit stops, holding off Max Verstappen in second.
• 2023: McLaren stars Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris shared the podium alongside Verstappen, who also claimed the fastest lap.

As this is the final Sprint Race, teams must carefully balance aggressive tire strategies and pit stops to maximize their points haul.

Spotlight on Formula 2 and F1 Academy

The Qatar GP weekend also hosts decisive rounds in two key feeder series: Formula 2: A fierce title battle between Gabriel Bortoleto and Isack Hadjar could go down to the wire, F1 Academy: Abbi Pulling is poised to clinch the championship, holding a commanding 95-point lead over her nearest rival.

The Qatar GP 2024 promises high-stakes action as the season reaches its penultimate race. With the Constructors’ Championship still undecided and key battles across F1 and its feeder series, the Lusail International Circuit is set to host an unforgettable weekend. From tire management to strategic pit stops, every decision will count as teams push for glory in this final Sprint Race of the season.