F1 Gears Up for Crucial Qatar Showdown as Weather Outlook Favors a Clean Weekend
Following the chaos, controversy, and disqualifications that rocked the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Formula 1 now shifts its attention to the Lusail International Circuit for the penultimate round of the 2025 season. With the championship fight suddenly blown wide open, all eyes are on Qatar—where the weather, for once, looks set to play a calm but critical role in a decisive sprint weekend.
Thanks to the shock double disqualification of McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in Las Vegas, the title race has been transformed. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen now sits just 24 points behind Norris and level on points with Piastri, with 58 points still available between the sprint and main race. It’s the three-way battle fans have been craving—and Lusail might bring the first major twist.
Because this is a sprint weekend, drivers have two opportunities to score big, and Norris can seal his maiden world title in Qatar itself. The equation is simple: if he outscores both rivals by two points across the weekend, the championship will not go to Abu Dhabi.
With stakes this high, the weather forecast becomes especially crucial. Fortunately for the teams, Qatar promises warm, dry, and predictable conditions throughout all three days of action.
Friday, November 28 – FP1 and Sprint Qualifying
The weekend opens with a single one-hour practice session at 4:30pm local time. Temperatures are expected to sit at around 26°C, even as the sun begins to dip below the desert horizon. The “real feel” temperature will sit slightly higher at 29°C, thanks to humidity levels near 45%. Winds will be moderate at around 10 mph, but the biggest relief for engineers is the 0% chance of rainfall, ensuring an uninterrupted hour of setup work.
Sprint qualifying later that evening will take place under the bright floodlights of Lusail at 8:30pm. Temperatures will cool to 24°C, though humidity jumps to 60%, which may increase cockpit discomfort for drivers. Still, the air will remain dry with no threat of rain, and wind speeds should ease slightly to 8 mph, creating a calm and predictable environment for the first competitive session.
Saturday, November 29 – Sprint Race and Grand Prix Qualifying
The first race of the weekend begins at 5pm on Saturday, with eight critical championship points available to the sprint winner. Weather conditions mirror Friday closely—temperatures will hover around 25°C, humidity will settle near 50%, and once again there is zero probability of rain. Drivers will race in warm but manageable conditions, a contrast to past years when Lusail delivered extreme heat and physical strain.
Wind speeds remain consistent at around 10 mph, and the real-feel temperature sits at 29°C under the night sky. Teams are expecting tyre wear to be moderate, and the stable weather forecast should allow drivers to push harder without fear of sudden grip changes.
As the night deepens, qualifying for Sunday’s main race will begin at 9pm. Temperatures will fall further to 23°C, which could make tyre warm-up a challenge—especially on an already smooth track surface. The air remains completely dry, maintaining the perfect conditions for an intense shootout under the lights.
Sunday, November 30 – Qatar Grand Prix
The main race begins at 7pm local time, and once again the Lusail circuit is set to enjoy a dry evening with no rain in sight. Drivers can expect a comfortable 24°C with humidity slightly above 50%, though still far from the suffocating heat that plagued the 2023 edition.
The 57-lap race is forecasted to be a mandatory two-stop event, largely due to tyre degradation and high-speed load rather than heat stress. The FIA now permits the use of cooling systems in extreme conditions, but such measures are unlikely to be required this time around.
Winds on Sunday will be lighter than on previous days and should not pose a threat to braking stability or car handling—an issue drivers have occasionally struggled with at Lusail.
With the weather calm and consistent across all three days, teams can focus entirely on performance and strategy rather than unpredictable conditions. As the drivers’ title hangs in the balance and the championship narrative tightens, Lusail is poised to deliver a high-stakes, drama-filled weekend—free from weather disruptions but loaded with competitive tension.
Keep checking for updates through the week in case any late shifts in conditions emerge.
