F1 LIVE | The 2023 Qatar Grand Prix

It was in line with expectations: Max Verstappen will start the Qatar Grand Prix as a three-time world champion. At the start, however, he has two eager Mercedes drivers in his mirrors: George Russell is next to him in the front row, with Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso behind him. Can they start something against Verstappen's dominance? You can follow it all in our live blog.

Liveblog The Qatar Grand Prix

McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris were towards the front in the sprint race but they are a lot further back on the grid on Sunday. Both Piastri and Norris saw their times taken away in Friday's qualifying, forcing the drivers to start from P6 and P10, respectively.

Sergio Perez is facing a tough race. The Red Bull Racing driver crashed with Esteban Ocon, who also took out Nico Hulkenberg. As a result of the damage incurred, Red Bull were forced to use a spare chassis and thereby break the parc fermé rules. The Mexican must therefore start his race from the pit lane.

Verstappen will be keen on the victory he failed to get in the sprint race. It would make the party in the Red Bull garage all the bigger after already celebrating its third world title on Saturday night.

The Qatar Grand Prix

The Qatar Grand Prix is one of the newer races added to the Formula 1 Calendar. The 2021 Grand Prix is the only race we’ve had around the Losail International Circuit, with the motorcycle circuit throwing up a superb race in its debut. Lewis Hamilton was victorious in 2021, as he was able to convert his pole position into a race victory. The race is one of the few night races, as Losail added outdoor lighting in 2007, allowing F1 to compete under the Sunday night lights.