Qatar GP: what time is the race? And can Verstappen win the title this weekend?

We’re on the home stretch now: six more races to go before we can draw a line under the season and (hopefully) look forward to a bit more competition in 2024.

That run starts this weekend in Qatar: last seen on the F1 calendar in 2021, the Lusail circuit is back having undergone significant work in the time since Lewis Hamilton took a dominant win here two years ago.

Some things to note: Max Verstappen is overwhelmingly likely to become world champion this weekend. The Red Bull driver is 177 points ahead of teammate Segio Perez with a maximum of 180 available between now and the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi: score three more and championship number three is in the bag.

Weirdly, he could seal the deal before Sunday’s race: there’s a sprint race on Saturday and he only needs to finish sixth in that to wrap up the title.

What else? Oh year, Daniel Ricciardo is still injured and so Liam Lawson will continue to deputise for the Aussie and AlphaTauri. Despite some impressive performances in the last few weeks, the 21-year-old only has a reserve role lined up for 2024…

Oh, and of course there will be much talk about Andretti’s bid to enter F1, this being the first race since the FIA approved its application to join the grid. Next up is negotiations with F1 itself: the commercial body and the teams are less than keen…

You can find the full low-down on the Qatar Grand Prix - including the race start time - below…

What time is the Qatar GP? And what time is qualifying?

For UK viewers the Qatar GP gets underway at 6pm sharp on Sunday 8 October, although (as per the sprint race weekend format) qualifying is on Friday 6, instead of the customary Saturday. Quali is at 6pm also, a few hours after the only practice session at 2.30pm.

Lights out for the sprint occurs at 6.30pm on Saturday 7 October, while the sprint shootout - basically a mini-qualifying session - begins at 2pm.

What’s the weather going to be like?

Hot, in a word. There is almost zero chance of rain across all three days of action, with temperatures expected to push 40 degrees celsius in the daytime. Luckily for the drivers, the sprint and grand prix both take place in the late evening, when it should be slightly cooler.

Where is the Qatar GP taking place?

The Qatar Grand Prix will be held at the Lusail International Circuit, which made its debut on the F1 calendar in 2021 having signed a 10-year deal with the sport ahead of the maiden race.

There was no grand prix here last season though, as the country decided to put all of its efforts into hosting the 2022 men’s FIFA World Cup. The move also allowed for track improvements which included a full resurfacing of the circuit, plus new paddock and pit building facilities.

How many laps is the Qatar GP?

The layout remains unchanged, so the grand prix will consist of 57 laps of the 5.380km (3.343-mile) circuit. There are a grand total of 16 corners, only one of which is a low-speed turn. The rest are pretty rapid.

Who’s going to win the Qatar GP?

We’ll keep this brief: having won 13 of 16 races so far this season - including an unprecedented 10 in a row - Max Verstappen is surely going to take the chequered flag in Qatar. If he doesn’t, Sergio Perez probably will instead, if he can overcome his inconsistent form.

The usual suspects will be in contention for the remaining podium spot: McLaren should be good here, meaning a Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri win can’t be ruled out if the two Red Bulls hit trouble. Or each other.

How can I watch the Qatar GP?

Unless you have a subscription to Sky Sports or membership with NowTV, your only option is to buy a plane ticket to Qatar and go and watch the race in person.

If that seems a tad expensive, your other option is to wait for Channel 4’s free-to-air highlights show: 9.35pm on Saturday for sprint race highlights, 11pm for the grand prix on Sunday. Or there’s F1’s eight-minute round-up on YouTube…

If radio commentary is your bag, BBC Radio 5 Live and Radio 5 Sports Extra are sharing live coverage across the weekend.

What’s the Top Gear view on the Qatar GP?

Inevitably F1 faces legitimate questions about human and LGBTQ+ rights whenever it visits this part of the world, and rarely has it come up with suitable answers. We can only hope that the sport’s presence in the region does more than simply fill the sport’s coffers and somehow contributes to positive change as it keeps visiting over the rest of the decade.

Qualifying here two years ago was full of controversy as a yellow flag infringement saw Max Verstappen demoted five places, and Fernando Alonso scored an unlikely podium for previous team Alpine. A similar level of chaos this weekend would be very welcome indeed…