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![What is the weather forecast for the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix?](https://webp.gp.cdn.pxr.nl/news/2023/10/02/1fca7e8d2dbbdb26aeccaffb9e86f89942a39fb1.jpeg?width=1800)
What is the weather forecast for the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix?
Formula 1 teams and drivers will be glad the Qatar Grand Prix takes place in the evening because it will be very warm. During the day, temperatures will be up to 41c, but when F1 cars are on the circuit, the temperature reduces by around 10c. It will still be warm, but it could be worse.
Friday is the hottest day in Qatar
Throughout the weekend, the temperature will fluctuate around 40 degrees Celsius. Friday will be the warmest at 41 degrees. On Saturday and Sunday, the temperature decreases by one degree each time and becomes 40 and 39 degrees Celsius, respectively. However, these are the daytime temperatures, and luckily for the F1 drivers, the sessions are held in the evening.
For example, the race and qualifying is at 20:00 local time (18:00 UK time), and the sprint is even at 20:30 local time. During the evening, the temperature will decrease to about 30 degrees Celsius on all days. However, the sprint shoot-out and first free practice will be held during the day (at 16:30 and 16:00 local time, respectively), and thus, the F1 drivers can prepare for extremely warm conditions in the cockpits.
Are strong winds going to make it difficult for F1 drivers?
In addition to the high temperatures, the drivers will also face strong winds in Qatar. On Friday and Saturday, the wind will be at its strongest at 35 km/h and 34 km/h respectively. On Sunday, the strength of the wind drops slightly, and the wind speed will be about 21 km/h. Strong winds often make the F1 cars a bit unpredictable, which can be an extra challenge for the drivers. Rain doesn't seem to be going to fall in Qatar as expected: the chance of rain doesn't exceed one percent throughout the weekend, according to Weather.com.