Official 2023 Qatar Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***

[Piginapoke]

After the challenging and historic Suzuka, here we are in soulless Qatar for a Sprint weekend, as F1 continues its strategy of chasing all the money all the time. Channel 4 highlights look well timed if you're having trouble getting off to sleep.

Max will win the championship this weekend, an amazing season from him and the team, but Merc and Ferrari really must do better next year.

I’ll be looking at Piastri and his continuing progress relative to Norris and whether Lawson can get the AT into the points again. Great to see new talent rising.

Here’s to a great race. Again, poll is for 2nd.

Date(s): Friday 6 to Sunday 8 October 2023.

UK Broadcast Timings (and track time)

All sessions are live on Sky F1. Qualifying and race highlights are shown on Channel 4.





2022 Race Highlights:

N/A

Live timing for all sessions available here:

https://www.formula1.com/en/f1-live.html

Lap times, PU component use, technical reports and Stewards' decisions for the weekend will appear here:

https://www.fia.com/documents/championships/fia-fo...

Weather forecast (hot):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/290030

Tyre options:

Hardest range- C1-C3:



2022 Result :

N/A

Edited by Piginapoke on Saturday 30th September 08:07

[Still Mulling]

Thanks as always, PiaP. Look forward to avoiding the news all of Monday!

I can’t say I have high hopes of either a non-Max victory or interesting race for this one, but hopefully I’ll be proven wrong on at least one count!

[ARFBY]

The Sprint race is 01:30am and the main race is 01:00am for me, so this will probably be the first race this season that I don't stay up for.

Prediction - Ver, Nor, Per. Top 3. Surely Checo can get his act together soon.

Maybe we can do a sweepstake on which lap Sargeant brings out the red flag.

[Sandpit Steve]

Really looking forward to this one - mostly because I’m going to be there, my only live race this season.

[PhilAsia]

Thanks PiaP!!

Not seeing a great race ahead...., but hoping for Steve - as he will be present - that it is a scintillating cliffhanger...!!

[Jasandjules]

This circuit is so boring to watch yet on the F1 game, it is a tough one... I rarely complete a race without a front wing end plate getting clunked off a wall. And I can usually complete Monaco without doing that!

[CT05 Nose Cone]

Going to feel a bit dirty watching this race, just like at the World Cup blood money overrules all. I think I'd take the tobacco sponsors back if it means we didn't have to visit backwards places like this.

[Piginapoke]

Sandpit Steve said:

Really looking forward to this one - mostly because I’m going to be there, my only live race this season.

Wow- have a great time Steve! Let us know what you think to it.

[suffolk009]

It would be so nice to see someone - anyone - challenge the inevitable.

[fttm]

Thankfully I’m working which means I’ll miss the race , all that RB gloating about a 2nd WDC wouldn’t sit right for me anyhow .

[Jasandjules]

suffolk009 said:

It would be so nice to see someone - anyone - challenge the inevitable.

Sadly the car is just amazing and Sergio can not deal with the handling of it so no, that will not change unless reliability or a crash of some kind.

[Stealthracer]

Jasandjules said:

Sadly the car is just amazing and Sergio can not deal with the handling of it so no, that will not change unless reliability or a crash of some kind.

Or getting a proper penalty for once, instead of being let off as usual.

[Jasandjules]

Stealthracer said:

Or getting a proper penalty for once, instead of being let off as usual.

Well that won't happen as we know, Red Bull are the favoured ones at the moment, as Ferrari were before them.

[Adrian W]

Hamilton to take Verstappen out and Russell to win, then I woke up

[mk1coopers]

Thanks for the thread PiaP, one Championship done, the other should be sorted this weekend, if I watch or not will be down to qualifying, sorry to say still not interested in such a one horse race, no matter who that horse is, though I’ll put my hands up as not the really liking how RB operates.

[DanielSan]

Championship done on Saturday. That's all I have for a prediction this weekend. I'm just hoping if it is Red Bull start Verstappen from the back every other race just to see if they can do last to 1st

[sandman77]

What does Max need to do to win the WDC on Saturday? Does he just need to win or does Perez’s finishing position have a bearing on it too?

[asfault]

Perez to end up in a crazy fight with one of the alpha tauri hitting each other on the last lap before getting t boned on the last corner and not finishing the race.

Well that was the crazy dream i had so just incase it was a psychic predition I'm writing it down here.

[Mark-C]

Really just hoping that McLaren keep showing that the recent improvement is here to stay.

Also with Checo seemingly stuck in a rut (as deep as Lance's maybe?) then we get to see a fight over a couple of Podium places ...

[HustleRussell]

The WDC wrapped up in a Saturday sprint race in Qatar. Oops- this can't be what F1 had in mind when sprint races were introduced.

How many serious F1 watchers are really going to endure three days of action from fun and photogenic Qatar?

Casual F1 followers tuning in on Sunday to see whether Max can do it will instead be treated to the first of six dead rubbers.

Both remaining US races, including the inaugural Las Vegas race at the circuit de Dead Pig, rendered irrelevant. What will everyone do with all their casino / chance related imagery?

How far will F1 go to contrive that the crowning moment of the WDC is at least postponed until Sunday?