There is only one past example of the Qatar Grand Prix for teams to look back on when preparing themselves for the desert weather they will encounter this weekend.
However the 2021 edition of the race was run on 21st November and this year Formula 1 visits the Losail International Circuit in the first weekend of October. A desert may be a desert all year round, but there are still significant differences in weather patterns through a year. F1’s scheduling of the race 44 days earlier than last time will pose different challenges.The race weekend timetable is also different this time around. The track action will begin with a single hour-long practice session at 4:30pm on Friday, three hours later in the day than in 2021. And unlike two years ago, that will be the only practice running the drivers get.
With the sun setting at 5:18pm, temperatures will drop during the session, but starting from a high of around 35C. Qualifying for the grand prix is scheduled to run from 8pm on Friday night, with air temperatures remaining at a stable 32C through the session.
To avoid the day’s peak temperatures, there is no track action on Saturday until qualifying for the sprint race at 4pm. This session should finish during the daytime, barring delays, and again will be at least 35C.
The sprint race will begin at 8:30pm, when it is forecast to be 31C. Only at the Hungarian and Italian grands prix this year have F1 drivers raced in such high temperatures.
The earlier sessions are also likely to be affected by strong wings, which will prove especially challenging as drivers tackle Losail’s many medium-to-high-speed corners. Friday will be especially gusty, with strong winds hitting in a north-westerly direction (the same direction that car takes down the pit straight).
The track’s proximity to Qatar’s eastern coast, with few buildings lying between it and the coast, makes it more vulnerable to winds and the dust they carry – note how much dust the cars kicked up at the start in 2021.
Given the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix will be a night race, practice on a sweltering and potentially sand-covered track will simultaneously be of limited relevance but also of extreme significance for preparing for the weekend given there is just a single session.
Sunday at Losail will be less windy, and track staff have plenty of time to sweep the surface before what is set to be the hottest grand prix of the year begins at 8pm. It will be 33C when the race begins, and probably only 2C cooler when the chequered flag waves. Drivers, teams, tyres and engine components (which will likely have already been used in many races this year) will be put to the test by the Qatari heat.
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2023 Qatar Grand Prix
- Albon fears Qatar GP conditions risked creating dangerous “wet bulb effect”
- Alonso: New-spec fireproofs and pre-race anthem timing made Qatar heat worse
- Magnussen admits he took “too long to learn” Losail circuit
- Analysis: Sargeant’s Qatar radio reveals his painful struggle to end point-less run
- Alfa Romeo ‘finally understand their upgrade’ Bottas believes as team target Williams
GeeMac (@geemac)
5th October 2023, 7:27
I know other countries suffer more as a result of Eurocentric race start times, but I have to note that it is bizarre that I live in a country that borders Qatar and have to wait until 9pm local time to watch the race.
MacLeod (@macleod)
5th October 2023, 8:05
This because it’s a evening race? I never had problem adjusting to tracks and getting up early or like Japan do a all nighter to finish watching to crashout after that. (I am not young anymore)
anon
6th October 2023, 7:40
@geemac they have also been recording daytime air temperatures of 42ºC at the track – racing in those conditions would be approaching the record for the hottest temperature that anybody has attempted to hold an F1 race in. Given the potential negative impact that could have on the health of those involved, holding the race during the cooler nighttime conditions was also considered safer.
Jere (@jerejj)
5th October 2023, 7:32
Definitely the hottest 2023 GP weekend, & as I feared when this season’s race calendar got announced, having a Middle East event around October’s first quarter turn is risky because the very hot summer & early-autumn weather can still affect, so placing the Qatar GP before the Abu Dhabi GP for this season already would’ve been wiser to avoid unbearably high temps, but at least having the event in October will only be a one-off thing, so from next season it’ll again have bearable temps.
Red Andy (@red-andy)
5th October 2023, 7:45
Yeah man, but it’s a dry heat.
Jere (@jerejj)
5th October 2023, 8:04
Heat nevertheless.
MacLeod (@macleod)
5th October 2023, 8:06
Maybe we get a sandstorm :)
Dave The Drummer (@davethedrummer)
5th October 2023, 9:07
Knock it off Hudson!
:D
GeeMac (@geemac)
5th October 2023, 10:59
@red-andy It gets very humid in the Gulf.
Coventry Climax
5th October 2023, 13:24
They’re probably crazy enough to cover the entire circuit in the future, and have aircos installed. Ofcourse, the FiA would still claim to having a zero size environmetal footprint, so that’s OK.
RR
5th October 2023, 15:31
Lewis Radio throughout the weekend:
“I’ve got no grip man.”