Qatar Grand Prix 2023 — Weekend Preview

Round 17 of the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship takes the field to Lusail, Qatar. Qatar Grand Prix — Under the Desert Lights. Max Verstappen leads the championship with 378 points, 170 points ahead of Sergio Perez.

Driver Championship (entering R17):
P1: Max Verstappen — 378 pts (13W, 15P)
P2: Sergio Perez — 208 pts (2W, 8P)
P3: Lewis Hamilton — 186 pts (0W, 5P)
P4: Fernando Alonso — 167 pts (0W, 7P)
P5: Carlos Sainz — 135 pts (1W, 2P)

Constructor Championship:
P1: Red Bull Racing — 586 pts
P2: Mercedes — 294 pts
P3: Ferrari — 259 pts
P4: Aston Martin — 208 pts
P5: McLaren — 162 pts

Lusail is a balanced challenge.

Recent winners at Lusail:
- 2025: Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
- 2024: Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
- 2023: Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)

Tyre strategy data will be available after practice sessions provide degradation information.

Battles to watch:

Championship battle: Max Verstappen vs Sergio Perez — 170 points separate them.

P5 vs P6: Carlos Sainz (135) vs Charles Leclerc (124) — just 11 points apart.