Desert races always bring their own unique set of environmental challenges. At the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, everyone struggled to beat the heat.
About The Qatar Grand Prix
In 2021, the inaugural Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix was held at the Lusail International Circuit (also known as the Losail International Circuit). Whilst the circuit was designed primarily for motorcycle races, the 1.068 km (0.66 mile) straight and fast flowing corners provide plenty of Formula 1 thrills. The race was added to the calendar as a stand-in for the Australian Grand Prix, which had been cancelled at the last possible moment due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
After a successful debut in 2021, the race was absent from the 2022 calendar. This was due to Qatar having to focus on hosting the FIFA World Cup. A deal had been struck, however, for Qatar to return to the race calendar in 2023. During the year-long hiatus, the circuit underwent massive renovation works. This was in order to make it more suitable for hosting Formula 1 races.
The huge project showed commitment to both the FIA’s and the FIM’s standards. It also ensured that the circuit could continue to host both Formula 1 and MotoGP. In early 2023, the Lusail International Circuit reached an agreement with Formula 1 to extend their contract. The agreement secured the Qatar Grand Prix for 10 years, with the circuit currently set to host Formula 1 until the end of the 2032 season.
The 2023 Qatar Grand Prix
Qatar was one of four race venues in 2023 to be held as a full night race. Given the desert location and year-round hot weather, racing at night seemed like a sensible solution. But in 2023, not even this could beat the heat, and drivers faced one of the most gruelling races of their careers.
Sprint Saturday
Saturday’s sprint race was full of highs and lows. There were three safety car deployments, and five drivers retired from the race. Liam Lawson took a spin into the gravel, as did Logan Sargeant, with both unable to rejoin the race. Esteban Ocon locked up and went into the side pod of Sergio Pérez and damaged Nico Hülkenberg’s front wing. The collision put all three drivers out of the race.
Oscar Piastri claimed his first sprint win, also the first for McLaren, whilst teammate Lando Norris came home third. Max Verstappen finished second, but it was all he needed to be crowned as the 2023 World Champion.
Race Review
Verstappen was on pole for Sunday’s Grand Prix, with George Russell alongside him on the front row. Lewis Hamilton was right behind them both and ready to pounce, even with the championship title now out of his reach.
When the lights went out, Verstappen made a clean getaway, but both Russell and Hamilton were hot on his heels. As they went into Turn 1, Hamilton tried to squeeze between Russel and Verstappen. In doing so, he collided with his teammate and both Mercedes were sent spinning off the track. Russell managed to rejoin, albeit with significant damage to his car, whilst it was game over for Hamilton.
Piastri was able to take advantage of the chaos in front of him, jumping from sixth to second. The Safety Car was deployed and several drivers, including Russell came into the pits. On lap four, the Safety Car came in and Verstappen disappeared into the distance. Piastri was quick to start chasing down the Red Bull.
Race Review
On lap 12, the window opened for scheduled pit stops and drivers began to filter in. By this time, Russell was making a stellar recovery. The Brit had managed to get all the way back up into second before pitting on lap 15. During Russell’s stop, the first signs of the gruelling race conditions began to show. He opened his visor as he came into the pit lane in an effort to get some fresh air.
Drivers began to make their second scheduled pit stops on lap 26, and conditions had not improved. Alonso asked for water to be thrown over him when he made his stop, as he said his seat was “burning”. Unfortunately for the Spaniard, the team confirmed this wouldn’t be allowed and he had to continue the race in a literal hot-seat. Norris tucked into the pits on lap 27, with the McLaren crew setting the fastest ever Formula 1 pit stop. With the car serviced in a blistering 1.80 seconds, Norris exited the pits directly behind his teammate.
Race Review
Seeing that Norris was snapping at Piastri’s heels, the team got on the radio to instruct him to hold position. Norris was quick to question this decision, rightfully pointing out “we have a big gap, I’m clearly a lot quicker”. The reason that McLaren gave was that they had concerns about Russell pitting for softs, and that they would need Norris to defend Piastri from the Mercedes. Norris begrudgingly complied with the instruction, with Piastri being allowed to maintain his second position.
On lap 40, Logan Sargeant openly admitted that he was struggling, informing the Williams team “I need to stop”. Without any hesitation, the team told him to come in and retire from the race, putting their driver’s health above all else. Russell was also continuing to struggle, now driving with his wrists in order to use his hands to try and direct the air to his face. After McLaren’s initial concerns about him being a threat, Russell had dropped back and there was a 27-second gap between him and Norris by lap 56.
Max Verstappen stormed across the line to take the race win as the chequered flag waved. Piastri came home second with teammate Norris rounding off the podium in third.
The Aftermath
The scale of the torturous conditions that drivers had been subjected to for 57 laps was immediately apparent. As the pack filtered into Parc Fermé, many drivers were seen struggling to get out of the cars. Alex Albon had to lean on a Williams team member in order to keep his balance and was taken to the medical centre due to heat exposure. Lance Stroll crawled out of his Aston Martin and wobbled over to a nearby ambulance before also being taken to the medical centre. Even Verstappen was visibly struggling to cope – something not often seen after claiming victory.
When drivers were interviewed, the feeling was almost unanimous that this had been one of the most physically demanding races of their careers. Esteban Ocon said “I was feeling ill, lap 15, 16. I was throwing up for two laps inside the cockpit”. Russell admitted he was close to losing consciousness, adding “I’ve never experienced anything like it before. I had to ask my engineer to give me encouragement just to try and keep my mind away from it”. Meanwhile, Lance Stroll explained “I was passing out in the car”, further going on to note that he was “fully fading out”.
Summary
The 2023 Qatar Grand Prix was one mighty beast, with intense heat unlike anything else that the drivers had experienced. Fans worldwide were understandably alarmed at the sight of so many drivers looking like they could drop to the floor at any given moment after the race. Indeed, things were so severe that the FIA simply had to react. With the 2024 regulations already locked in place, it was agreed that as of the 2025 season teams would be allowed more freedom to introduce cockpit cooling measures in extreme conditions.
For me, the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix is a race to remember for one simple reason – it’s something I never hope to see again. The post-race scenes made for uncomfortable viewing, and we can only hope that the new extreme weather protocols, cooling systems and a later date in 2025 will prove to be a positive combination.
Which Qatar Grand Prix do you think is a race to remember? Let us know in the comments!