40°C, sand on the track and wind: a difficult Friday for F1 teams and drivers | 2023 Qatar GP. Why it will be a difficult Friday for F1 teams and drivers in Qatar.

‘Extreme’ Conditions
The photos coming from the motorhome paddock at the Lusail International Circuit leave no room for doubt: in Qatar, the teams are very concerned about the risk of overheating of the components, primarily the power unit, and, indeed, the openings and vents on the bodywork to let the single-seaters breathe are quite generous.

Today, in Lusail, the air temperature is expected to exceed 40°C, and the wind will blow steadily at 30 km/h with gusts reaching almost 50 km/h (48 km/h is the expected ‘peak speed’). Just two years ago, Formula 1 cars kicked up a lot of sand as they passed, and today there will also be the issue of sand on the track. In the afternoon, the asphalt will reach over 50°C, then drop to 35°C in the evening. This is a factor that teams will have to take into serious consideration.

With only one Free Practice session before heading straight into Qualifying, it won’t be easy at all for the teams and drivers to find the ideal compromise in the light of so many variables (temperature, wind, and sand on the track) that will make the track almost constantly ‘green,’ meaning with little rubber buildup. The session, which will start at 7:00 PM, will set the grid for the Grand Prix starting on Sunday at the same time. Tomorrow, the day will be exclusively dedicated to the Sprint format with the Shootout to determine the grid, and the race scheduled for 7:30 PM. Max Verstappen will only need to finish in sixth place to celebrate his third world title, even if Sergio Perez wins.