You know what we love about the Formula 1 season? It’s almost always hot.

Summer is year-round in F1. We start the year off in Australia, who are enjoying the end of their summer, before travelling to Europe via countries such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Miami, where it’s equally toasty.

By the time we reach Monaco at the end of May, the European summer is kicking into life, and it concludes around the same time as the Italian Grand Prix, our final European race of the season.

From there, we jet off to Asia to top up our tan, which is where we’ve just come back from. After enjoying two scorching – and trophy-laden - weekends in Singapore and Japan, we’re now off to the equally warm and sunny Qatar.

Sure, there’s the occasional spell of rain here and there, but for the most part it's sunshine and rainbows. What’s not to love?

As we search for the last of our suntan lotion, we’ll let Lando and Oscar – fresh from their recent podiums - talk you through what we’re expecting from the second-ever Qatar Grand Prix. We’ve also touched base with Team Principal Andrea Stella and compiled a track guide, a pack full of stats and some tips on what to wear.

Critical info

Round	18
Where	Lusail International Circuit
When	6 - 8 October
Lights out	18:00 MTC / 20:00 local
Follow	The website and the McLaren App for LIVE commentary and team radio

"We're back racing after a week off. We had a very successful race in Japan with another P2 for me and a double podium for the team. The car had strong pace, which is encouraging as we go into the final seven races of the season.

"Qatar up next. It's another Sprint race weekend, so more opportunity for points. This is only the second time we're racing at the Lusail International Circuit, so we will have to learn as much as we can from the Friday practice session. I’ve been back at the MTC with the engineers in preparation over the last two weeks. We'll look to extract the maximum from the car and hopefully bring home some more points."

“After a great week away from racing taking in my first podium, it's time to head to Qatar. This is another new track for me, but of course that makes it all the more interesting. I spent some time last week with my engineers going over what we learned in Japan and what we can take forward to Qatar.

"It's a Sprint weekend, which I do enjoy. Hopefully, we can hit the ground running as there are more chances for points. I'm excited and can’t wait to get going."

Double the wheels

The Lusail International Circuit might have been designed with two wheels in mind, but it proved in 2021 that it was perfectly capable of producing a spectacle with four on the floor. The circuit has hosted a round of the MotoGP World Championship since 2004 and held its first Formula 1 race in 2021.

The 16-corner, 5.38km circuit is dominated by medium and high-speed turns, making it a fast and flowing track. A 1km straight adds to its high-speed nature and provides the greatest overtaking opportunities, whether that is during the drive down to Turn 1 for those who got a strong exit out of the final corner, or into Turn 1, for those that brake the latest.

Just like in Singapore and Japan, heat is likely to play a deciding role, with tyre degradation expected to be high once again. Similar to Singapore, the race takes place during the evening. Although it isn’t a street track like Singapore, it’s a purpose-built circuit located in the outskirts of Qatar’s capital city, Doha, so don’t expect too many similarities with the Marina Bay Street Circuit. In terms of comparisons, there are elements of Silverstone, Mugello and Istanbul Park all mixed into the layout.

We’ve only raced at the Lusail International Circuit once before, and that was in 2021, prior to the 2022 regulations overhaul and the new generation of car. Teams will be keen to study how the tarmac evolves over the weekend and how Pirelli's tyres fare. However, they’ll have to fit all of that testing into just the one practice session as the F1 Sprint is set to return this weekend.

Spriiiiiiiiiiiiint

You can get the full lowdown on the Sprint format here, but the big change for this year is that it is now a standalone event, which does not affect the starting grid on Sunday. That means that we get two qualifying sessions, one for the Sprint and one for Sunday’s grand prix.

The actual Sprint race will follow the same format as in 2022, with points handed out to the top eight finishers: the winner taking home eight points, and the driver in eighth gaining just one point. Unlike in 2022, the finishing order of the Sprint Race will not affect the starting grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix. The race on Sunday will then take place as usual… Make sense? Good.

Last time out

We all know what happened last time out, don’t we? We scored our 498th and 499th F1 podiums, with Lando notching his 10th and Oscar taking his first. Oscar had initially started second and Lando third following a highly successful qualifying, but ended up swapping places in the race. The result put us within 49 points of Aston Martin in fourth and 88 ahead of sixth placed Alpine.

"As we head into Qatar GP week, it's important to acknowledge how far we have come in the season. Achieving a P2 and P3 in Japan was not an easy task, but it was made possible by the quality of the work of the team at the factory and trackside. We're more determined than ever to continue improving, as we work towards being consistent in fighting at the top of the field.

"The Qatar race is fairly new to F1, as we have only visited the Lusail International Circuit once before back in 2021. However, this is the first time we will be bringing the new generation of cars here, so everyone will be trying to make the most of the practice session, and the Sprint format only adds to that challenge. As always, we aim to come away with as many points as possible as we look to maximise our performance in the Constructors’ Championship.” 

Setting the scene

Qatar might be one of the smallest countries in the Arabian Gulf, but it has a lot to offer. The weather is almost guaranteed to be nice, with the country seeing less than 100mm of rain per year. It’s ideal for the more adventurous among you, with scuba diving, skydiving, kayaking and ATV riding all common tourist activities.

The country also has an excellent culinary selection, with a large range of foods from around the world available. If you want something a little more local, then we’d recommend Majboos, a slow-cooked rice dish served with either lamb or chicken, which is known as Qatar’s national dish. Saloona, a classic Arabic stew, is another local favourite.

Set your alarms

Free Practice 1	09:30 ET / 14:30 BST / 00:30 AET
Qualifying	13:00 ET / 18:00 BST / 04:00 AET
Sprint Shootout	09:00 ET / 14:00 BST / 00:00 AET
Sprint	13:30 ET / 18:30 BST / 04:30 AET
Race	13:00 ET / 18:00 BST / 04:00 AET

Stat pack

• The Lusail International Circuit has hosted a round of the MotoGP World Championship since 2004
• Before the Yas Marina Circuit opened in Abu Dhabi, the Lusail International Circuit was the largest lit sporting venue in the world
• This will be Oscar’s debut first time racing at the Lusail International Circuit
• Lando finished ninth in the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix

The Fit: Cap week 

We’ve got to take our hats off to New Era, this year’s cap week is a cracker, and given the swelteringly hot temperatures expected for this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, you’ll definitely be wanting a cap for some protection from the sun. Or if you’re watching the race from the UK – we’d suggest one to keep your head dry.

Either way, you can’t go wrong with one of New Era’s McLaren caps. We’d be left scratching our heads if you didn’t want one (after taking off our New Era cap, of course).

See the selection here… but you’d better be quick before Lando snaps them all up.

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