Qatar Grand Prix 2025
It’s time for the second race of the final triple-header and it’s not just any weekend, but a sprint weekend! As if that didn’t bring enough excitement on its own, this could also be the moment a new World Champion is crowned. All of this and more awaits you in this blog!
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© Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Lusail International Circuit
The Qatar Grand Prix is held at the Losail International Circuit, a stunning track located near Doha. Opened in 2004, this 5.41 km (3.34 miles) circuit features 16 corners and a mix of high-speed straights and technical turns. With 57 laps covering a total of 308.661 km (190.5 miles), it’s a true test of skill for drivers.
Famous for its night-time races under brilliant floodlights. It was first designed for motorcycle racing but became a Formula 1 favorite in 2021.
Known for its smooth surface and thrilling overtaking opportunities, Losail offers a racing spectacle like no other!
Qatar: the title decider?
This weekend could very well be the decisive moment in the championship battle. After the disqualification of both McLarens in Las Vegas things have become a bit more complicated, but the fight is far from over for Lando Norris. In fact, if he wins the Grand Prix in Qatar and finishes sixth or better in the sprint race, he can secure the title this weekend.
Lando currently sits on 390 points. With a Grand Prix win (25 points) and a sixth-place finish in the sprint (3 points), his total would rise to 418 points.
Even in the scenario where Oscar Piastri or Max Verstappen wins both the sprint (8 points) and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (25 points), they would end up with:
- Current total: 366
- sprint win: 374
- Abu Dhabi win: 399
And even if they finish second in Qatar (18 points), their total would be 417 points one point short of catching Lando.
© Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
Sprint Weekend
Free Practice -> Sprint Qualifying -> Sprint Race -> Qualifying -> Qatar Grand Prix
Qatar is not a regular weekend; it’s a Sprint Weekend, which brings a different format than usual. This means there will only be one Free Practice session (FP1), which will take place on Friday. Teams and drivers will have just one hour to assess how their car performs on the track and fine-tune their setups. After FP1, the Sprint Qualifying session will take place. This session is shorter than a regular qualifying and has different tire rules. For example, in Q1, drivers are required to use specific tire compounds, which adds a layer of strategy. (For further clarification, Sprint Qualifying is typically a single, 30-minute session that determines the grid for the Sprint Race.
On Saturday, the Sprint Race will take place. The number of laps in a Sprint Race is much fewer than the original Grand Prix. This is typically around 100 km (approximately 30 minutes of racing), so there is usually no need for a pit stop. The Qatar Sprint Race consists of 19 laps. After the Sprint Race, the drivers will take part in another Qualifying session, this time for the Grand Prix that will take place on Sunday. This qualifying session follows the usual format, with drivers competing for the grid positions for the main event of the weekend.
This compressed format adds excitement and strategy, giving teams and drivers multiple chances to perform while reducing the usual downtime between sessions.
Here are the points that can be scored during a Sprint Race:
- 1st: 8 points
- 2nd: 7 points
- 3rd: 6 points
- 4th: 5 points
- 5th: 4 points
- 6th: 3 points
- 7th: 2 points
- 8th: 1 point
What time does the Qatar Grand Prix start in my time zone?
Free Practice
- 🇸🇬 Singapore (SGT) → 21:30
- 🇯🇵 Tokyo (JST) → 22:30
- 🇨🇳 Beijing (CST) → 21:30
- 🇮🇳 India (IST) → 19:00
- 🇦🇪 Dubai (GST) → 17:30
- 🇩🇪 Berlin (CET) → 14:30
- 🇬🇧 Londen (GMT) → 13:30
- 🇺🇸 New York (EDT) → 09:30
- 🇺🇸 Las Vegas (PDT) → 06:30
- 🇦🇺 Melbourne (AEDT) → 00:30
Sprint Qualifying
- 🇸🇬 Singapore (SGT) → 01:30
- 🇯🇵 Tokyo (JST) → 02:30
- 🇨🇳 Beijing (CST) → 01:30
- 🇮🇳 India (IST) → 23:00
- 🇦🇪 Dubai (GST) → 21:30
- 🇩🇪 Berlin (CET) → 18:30
- 🇬🇧 Londen (GMT) → 17:30
- 🇺🇸 New York (EDT) → 13:30
- 🇺🇸 Las Vegas (PDT) → 10:30
- 🇦🇺 Melbourne (AEDT) → 04:30
Sprint Race
- 🇸🇬 Singapore (SGT) → 22:00
- 🇯🇵 Tokyo (JST) → 23:00
- 🇨🇳 Beijing (CST) → 22:00
- 🇮🇳 India (IST) → 19:30
- 🇦🇪 Dubai (GST) → 18:00
- 🇩🇪 Berlin (CET) → 15:00
- 🇬🇧 Londen (GMT) → 14:00
- 🇺🇸 New York (EST) → 09:00
- 🇺🇸 Las Vegas (PST) → 06:00
- 🇦🇺 Melbourne (AEDT) → 01:00
Qualifying
- 🇸🇬 Singapore (SGT) → 02:00
- 🇯🇵 Tokyo (JST) → 03:00
- 🇨🇳 Beijing (CST) → 02:00
- 🇮🇳 India (IST) → 23:30
- 🇦🇪 Dubai (GST) → 22:00
- 🇩🇪 Berlin (CET) → 19:00
- 🇬🇧 Londen (GMT) → 18:00
- 🇺🇸 New York (EDT) → 14:00
- 🇺🇸 Las Vegas (PDT) → 11:00
- 🇦🇺 Melbourne (AEDT) → 05:00
Grand Prix
- 🇸🇬 Singapore (SGT) → 00:00
- 🇯🇵 Tokyo (JST) → 01:00
- 🇨🇳 Beijing (CST) → 00:00
- 🇮🇳 India (IST) → 21:30
- 🇦🇪 Dubai (GST) → 20:00
- 🇩🇪 Berlin (CET) → 17:00
- 🇬🇧 Londen (GMT) → 16:00
- 🇺🇸 New York (EDT) → 12:00
- 🇺🇸 Las Vegas (PDT) → 09:00
- 🇦🇺 Melbourne (AEDT) → 03:00
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