What makes the Qatar Grand Prix special – and why you should see it

The Qatar Grand Prix is one of the most physically demanding races on the calendar: a main straight of more than a kilometre and a run of fast, flowing corners at the Lusail International Circuit, all raced in the desert under floodlights.

The circuit was built for Qatar’s first MotoGP event in 2004 and completed in just over a year. F1 arrived in 2021 in the middle of a title fight, and Lewis Hamilton won the inaugural Grand Prix for Mercedes to close the gap to Max Verstappen. After a year away while Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup, F1 returned in 2023 at the start of a 10-year deal – and Verstappen clinched his third world title that weekend.

Here is what makes Lusail so punishing, and why the race is worth watching all the way to the flag.

Built for bikes, raced under lights

The Lusail International Circuit sits on the outskirts of Doha and was designed with motorcycle racing in mind. For an F1 car, that means a lap dominated by medium- and high-speed corners. The standout is the sequence from Turn 12 to Turn 14: three right-hand apexes – the innermost points of a corner – taken almost flat out, like Turn 8 at Istanbul Park in Türkiye run in reverse.

There is little let-up. The sustained cornering loads the tyres lap after lap, the kerbs are harsh, and the race tests drivers, cars and tyres alike.

The clearest chance to overtake comes at the end of the main straight, more than a kilometre long, into Turn 1. Once night falls and the floodlights take over, that braking zone is where to watch.

When is the next Qatar Grand Prix?

The 2026 Qatar Grand Prix, the 22nd round of the season, runs from Friday 27 November to Sunday 29 November. Practice 1 and Practice 2 are held on Friday, Practice 3 and Qualifying on Saturday, and the Grand Prix, over 57 laps, on Sunday.

Check out the RACE HUB to see when each F1 session starts in your local time zone, wherever you are in the world.

What happened at the last Qatar Grand Prix?

Verstappen won the 2025 race for Red Bull, almost eight seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri, who had started from pole for McLaren after winning the Sprint – a shorter race held on Saturday. Carlos Sainz finished third for Williams, ahead of Lando Norris in the second McLaren. With each tyre set limited to 25 laps, most drivers pitted under an early Safety Car, but both McLarens stayed out, leaving them two stops still to make. The result cut Norris’ lead over Verstappen in the drivers’ standings to 12 points, with Piastri 16 behind, going into the final round.

Check out the RACE HUB to catch up on news, reports and highlights from every session of that season’s race weekend.

Why we love the Lusail International Circuit

Lusail measures 5.419km (3.367 miles) and has 16 turns. The Grand Prix runs over 57 laps, and the fastest of them in a race came in 2024, when Norris set the record of 1m 22.384s.

As set out above, the lap is about flow. After the long main straight and the stop for Turn 1, the cars run through a string of medium- and high-speed corners, including the near-flat right-handers from Turn 12 to Turn 14, before the final corner returns them to the straight.

Then there is what keeps fans coming back. The race runs at night, with the whole lap lit once the sun has set over the desert. And it has a habit of shaping championships: Verstappen sealed his third title here in 2023, and in 2025 three drivers left Qatar still in contention. With so much riding on the result, every lap counts.

F1 cars are on track on all three days of the Qatar Grand Prix weekend, and each session sharpens the picture for the next: two practice sessions on Friday, a final practice session and Qualifying on Saturday to set the grid, and the Grand Prix on Sunday.

The racing does not stop between the F1 sessions. Support races fill the timetable, with practice and Qualifying on Friday and races on both Saturday and Sunday, adding more wheel-to-wheel action around Lusail.

On Sunday, the drivers’ parade gathers the grid together ahead of the race, before the Grand Prix gets underway after dark, under the floodlights.

The official race website carries the latest details of everything else planned across the weekend, which may change.

Memorable moments in Qatar

The Qatar Grand Prix has already seen a title settled, a first F1 victory and a podium after a seven-year wait.

Here are the moments that stand out so far…

2021 – Hamilton won the first Qatar Grand Prix from pole, cutting title rival Verstappen’s lead to eight points with two races left. Verstappen recovered from a grid penalty to finish second, and Fernando Alonso took third for Alpine – his first podium since the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix.

2023 – Verstappen sealed his third consecutive world title by finishing second in the Sprint, which Piastri won for his first F1 victory. The next day, Mercedes team mates Hamilton and George Russell collided at Turn 1 on the opening lap, and Verstappen went on to win the Grand Prix.

2024 – Verstappen lost pole to Russell through a one-place grid penalty, but took the lead on the opening lap and won a race with three Safety Car periods. Charles Leclerc finished second for Ferrari. Norris, who had challenged for the lead, recovered to 10th after a 10-second stop-go penalty for failing to slow under yellow flags.

How can I watch the Qatar Grand Prix?

If you can make it to Qatar, head to F1 Tickets to secure your place at the circuit. F1 Experiences has a range of premium ticket packages too, getting you closer to Formula 1 than ever before.

If you are watching from elsewhere, you can find details of the broadcaster in your area by clicking here.

You can also follow every session via F1 TV Pro (in selected countries only).