5 hours Ago By Will Wood
Drivers will be spared from racing in the sweltering heat they dealt with at last year’s Qatar Grand Prix on their return this weekend. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Williams driver Logan Sargeant , who was ill prior to the weekend, retired from the race due to exhaustion caused by dehydration in the car. Alpine’s Esteban Ocon admitted to vomiting in his car during the race, while Lance Stroll and Alexander Albon were also seen to struggle to climb out of their cars after the chequered flag.
After the race, the FIA announced it would take action for “future situations of extreme weather conditions” due to “extreme temperature and humidity” during the event. The heat was largely blamed on last year’s early October race date. F1’s third visit to Qatar therefore takes place in late November in an effort to avoid similar conditions.
Thankfully for drivers, the later race date appears to have had the desired effect. Ambient temperatures should sit around 20C across the three days of the race weekend, dipping into the high-teens as the sun sets and night falls over the circuit. With no risk of rain, teams will have consistent conditions for all three days, which will make Friday’s sole practice session very representative for Sunday’s grand prix.
Although the sprint race on Saturday starts two hours earlier than Sunday’s grand prix, conditions should be largely the same as Friday’s sessions. However wind will be a major concern for drivers again, with speeds of up to 30kph expected throughout the weekend. As Losail is a fast but flat circuit, drivers will be exposed to the full effects of the gusts throughout the entire 5.
4-kilometre lap. Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free For more updates on the track conditions during each session keep an eye on RaceFans Live and the RaceFans Twitter account ..
