Lapping Qatar with Charles Leclerc

Formula 1 has only been racing in Qatar on three previous occasions, with one-off visit in 2021 before the event joined the calendar permanently two years’ ago. A high-speed test that can wear out tires so much there is a 25-lap maximum stint length imposed this year, the Lusail International Circuit pushes the limits of F1 machinery, and your guide for a lap is the 2024 runner-up here, Charles Leclerc.

“It's a really, really big physical challenge, probably the biggest of the season. The heat is not as much of a thing as two years ago, because now it's actually quite fresh in the evening. But the fact that Pirelli is putting a 25-lap limit to the stints makes us push like crazy for the whole race, which makes it very, very challenging physically.

“It's also a very difficult track overall to master, because there are so many high-speed corners, so you have to be fully committed in the qualifying laps. And the smallest mistake in a high-speed corner is the end of that lap straight away, and you've just got to start again. Whereas in the low speed, it's a little bit more manageable whenever you do a mistake. So that also makes it more difficult to master.

“The last sector is a key area of the track that you have to get right. That's where all the high-speed sections are. It's also quite tricky with the bottoming of the car in those parts, so this is the trickiest bit.

“It’s pretty clear that you need to set the car up for high-speed corners, but then there are still some slow-speed or medium-speed corners that you still need to be strong at. So it's always a balance, but for sure, on a track like this, you set up the car more for the high speed than you do for the low speed, as there's a lot more high-speed sections. But it doesn't make it easier.

“It wasn't the hardest track to manage when it came to tires – I think there are tracks that are a lot more aggressive on tires – but it was more the overheating, especially the first year, because of the heat. It was at a different time of the year, so that made it difficult. But to be pushing qualifying laps after qualifying laps for the whole race, that is a lot more difficult than I think people might think.

“Normally, the difference between a race push and a qualifying push, there's quite a bit of a difference. You've got to think about tires and the way those tires are going to evolve. Here, it's all about full push and taking maximum risk, corner after corner, for 57 laps.

“No, it's pretty unique... Silverstone as well is a track that we tend to push quite a lot, with all the high-speed sections there. But here, it's a lot more physical.

“I like it, especially for the night race part. I love night races in general. My favorites are night races in street tracks. It's not a street track, but it's a really cool track too, and I love high-speed as well. It's a very nice track.”

AT A GLANCE:

Race distance: 57 laps/191.7 miles
2024 pole time: 1m20.575s (George Russell, Mercedes)
2024 winner: Max Verstappen, Red Bull

QATAR GRAND PRIX WEEKEND SCHEDULE (all times ET):

Friday, November 28

8:25am - 9:30am - Free Practice 1, ESPNU

12:55pm - 1:30pm - Sprint Qualifying, ESPNEWS

Saturday, November 29

8:55am - 10:00am - Sprint, 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