Qatar Grand Prix Preview: Championships on the line in penultimate round
27th November 2025Formula 1 returns to Qatar for the penultimate race – and final sprint – of the 2025 season, as this year’s three-way title battle goes down to the wire.
Feature image credit: Getty Images // Red Bull Content Pool
For the first time this season, the drivers’ championship can be concluded in Qatar if Lando Norris outscores championship rivals Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen by at least two points.
A maximum of eight extra points are also on offer this weekend with Saturday’s sprint, offering an extra incentive to each of the title challengers.
However, McLaren and Norris have left themselves in a vulnerable position after both cars were disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix for excessive wear to their skid blocks.
This has allowed the resurgent Verstappen to draw level on points with Oscar Piastri, and move just 24 points behind Norris for the championship lead ahead of the final two races. Having won here in 2024, Verstappen will be hoping for a repeat of his fortunes last year as he looks to take the championship fight to Abu Dhabi.
Las Vegas represented another poor weekend for Piastri, as the former championship leader’s poor form continued. Finishing the race behind teammate Norris for the seventh consecutive Grand Prix, Piastri also extended his podiumless streak to six races.
The Lusail International Circuit makes its fourth appearance on the Formula One calendar following its introduction in 2021 with its high speeds and quick corners providing entertaining on-track action. Spanning 3.367 miles, Lusail has only one DRS zone down the start-finish straight, providing most overtaking opportunities into Turn One.
The track’s quick nature can be particularly punishing on the tyres, with manufacturer Pirelli mandating a 25-lap maximum stint on each tyre compound. This will force each team into a two-stop strategy over Sunday’s 57-lap race, but won’t, however, affect Saturday’s sprint.
This is the first time that such action has been taken by Pirelli in over two years, as they previously set an 18-lap tyre limit also at the Qatar Grand Prix in 2023.
Contrary to the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Qatar is set to provide hot and dry conditions across the weekend with both races set to see temperatures of around 20°C.
The Qatar Grand Prix begins this Friday, with first practice at 13:30*, before sprint qualifying at 17:30*. Saturday’s first action begins with the sprint race at 14:00*, followed by qualifying at 18:00*. Finally, Sunday sees lights out at 16:00*.
*Times are displayed in Greenwich Mean Time
Read more Formula 1 here:
- Gabriel Bortoleto given five-place grid penalty for Qatar GP after Lance Stroll crash
- Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri disqualified from Las Vegas Grand Prix
- Both McLaren cars at risk of disqualification of Las Vegas Grand Prix
- Max Verstappen keeps championship contention with Las Vegas Grand Prix win
- Lando Norris claims Las Vegas Grand Prix pole in challenging wet conditions
- George Russell tops final Las Vegas Grand Prix practice in changing conditions
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