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Friday will be the hottest 60 minutes of the year: just one training session before qualifying for the 17th World Cup round in the Qatari desert. There in the shade it measured up to 43 degrees. In addition, the route has been resurfaced since the only race in 2021.
Since the premiere in Doha, other cars have been driving around. So all data from two years ago is not worth much anymore. Thanks to the sprint Saturday (the fourth after Baku, Spielberg and Spa), the tension is high. Qualifying will take place on Friday at 7pm CET (TV live, ORF1).
Mansell left after an accident
The circle of favorites for pole position in Sunday’s race (also 7 p.m. CET, TV live) is relatively small: Will Verstappen even be able to live up to his tenth best starting position in 2023? Creepily enough, the Dutchman converted all his last thirteen pole positions into a victory.
And the thirteen-time season winner could become the second world champion after Nelson Piquet in Suzuka in 1987 to win the title for the main race. Verstappen still needs three points for this. Piquet became champion 36 years ago because Williams teammate Nigel Mansell was injured in a training accident and left Japan.
Spicy: Verstappen lives with Piquet’s daughter Kelly (35). She has a child with ex-GP Kvyat.
Hare borrows Bear Man
All ten teams must field a young driver twice for 60 minutes on Friday until Abu Dhabi. Many are waiting for Mexico and Abu Dhabi. Such as Haas-Ferrari, which Oliver Bearman (18) borrows from the red academy. For many, this is currently the greatest talent in “kindergarten”.
At Alpha Tauri-Honda, New Zealander Liam Lawson (21) makes his fifth GP appearance after the hand injury of eight-time GP winner Ricciardo. So far he has completed everything with confidence and even scored two points for the bottom half of the World Cup in Singapore (9th).
2021: The beautiful three
In the only desert race in Doha in 2021, Hamilton won ahead of Verstappen and Alonso (still at Alpine at the time). At Alfa-Sauber, Räikkönen and Giovinazzi were rounded. The Hinwil duo did not get through the first part of qualifying.
Source : Blick
I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.
