After he is on the cusp of achieving his third consecutive title in the Formula 1 World Championship, Dutch Red Bull driver Max Verstappen is looking forward to erasing his bad memories in Qatar and climbing to the podium for the first time in the Qatar Grand Prix, the 17th round of the World Championship.
Armed with his victory in the Japanese Grand Prix two weeks ago, Verstappen arrives at the Losail International Circuit, north of the capital, Doha, and in his memory is his failure two years ago against British Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes driver), the former world champion, after a heated struggle along the ten turns of the circuit, which almost destroyed his dreams. First world title.
Although the Losail International Circuit has undergone a comprehensive development process while maintaining the design of its famous track, memories of the 2021 race will cloud the atmosphere of competition, especially for Verstappen and Hamilton, as Verstappen’s loss of the race at that time almost threatened his victory in the world championship, but he remedied the matter and won the next two races and won. With his first World Championship title at the expense of Hamilton.
Verstappen is 4 points away from the world crown (Reuters)
Record
While Verstappen is performing at his best level by winning 13 out of 16 races in the world championship, Hamilton is struggling to find his best performance this season with the German manufacturer, as he has stayed away from competing for the world title for the second year in a row after being one of the favorites to win it for nearly two decades. During which he won the title 7 times (a record).
Over the course of 3 days, a special kind of struggle will be renewed between Verstappen and Hamilton at the Losail International Circuit, as the Dutchman seeks to win in Qatar in particular, and early crown his third world title in Doha, and break the knot of one of the four circuits in which he failed to win, in addition to the circuits. The Portuguese Algarve, the American Las Vegas, and the Marina Bay in Singapore.
Meanwhile, the British driver would like to spoil the joys of Verstappen, who two years ago deprived him of adding a record eighth title in the world championship, by shining again at the Losail International Circuit, having won the only edition of the Qatari race two years ago (it was canceled last year to organize the World Cup in Qatar).
Losail Circuit has undergone a comprehensive development process (Qatari Press)
Postponed coronation
If Hamilton succeeds in overtaking Verstappen tomorrow and the day after Sunday in Doha, the latter’s coronation of the world title will be temporarily postponed, and he will lose the opportunity to become the first driver in four decades to win the world title in the fast race that will be held tomorrow, Saturday, in the Qatar Prize.
Brazilian Nelson Piquet, who won his world title 40 years ago during the 1983 South African Grand Prix, was the last driver to win the world title in the speed race. Before him, 4 other drivers were able to win the title on Saturdays, and they are:
The Argentine legend Juan Manuel Fangio (1955), the Australian Jack Brabham (1959), the British Graham Hill (1962), and the Finnish Keke Rosberg.
Verstappen recorded the fastest time during the first free trials on Friday, ahead of Ferrari drivers, Spaniard Carlos Sainz and Frenchman Charles Leclerc.
The Sprint race will be held tomorrow, Saturday, and the final trials will determine the starting order for the race, which will be held the evening after tomorrow, Sunday, under floodlights.
Before the start of the Qatar Grand Prix, Verstappen leads the overall standings of the World Championship with 400 points, 177 points behind his closest competitor, Mexican Sergio Perez, with 223 points, while Hamilton comes in third place with 190 points.
Hamilton won the race at Losail Circuit in 2021 (Reuters)
Manufacturers title
By winning the Japanese Grand Prix, the 16th round of the world championship, Verstappen gave his Red Bull team the constructors’ title for the sixth time in its history and the second in a row, as the team achieved victory this season in 15 out of the 16 races held so far, topping the standings. The year goes to the manufacturers with 623 points, a big difference from its closest competitor Mercedes, which is in second place with 305 points.
The scenarios for Verstappen’s coronation in Doha are many and different, one of which allows him to finish the race outside the points or withdraw from the race, provided that his closest competitor, the Mexican Perez, does not achieve the title.
The Dutch driver needs only 3 points to retain his title for the third year in a row, which is available to him in the Sprint race on Saturday, if he ranks at least fifth, which gives him 4 points, noting that the race champion gets 8 points.
Also, the main race on Sunday evening will be a new opportunity for Verstappen to win the coronation, as his eighth place gives him 4 points that will be enough to crown him without waiting for the results of the remaining five rounds of the world championship.
If he is crowned in Qatar, the Losail International Circuit will be the 22nd circuit where Verstappen has achieved victory during his six appearances in the World Championship so far, compared to his failure in 3 circuits.
2023-10-06 19:31:01
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