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Max Verstappen is on the verge of securing his third straight world championship as Formula 1 returns to the Middle East for the Qatar Grand Prix. The Dutchman only needs three more points to clinch the 2023 title, meaning he only needs to finish sixth or higher during the Saturday sprint race in order to seal his crown. Verstappen was back to his usual ruthless best last time out in Japan, after his first podium-less race of the season a week earlier in Singapore. How Qatar plans to make F1 grand prix their ‘new World Cup’ Sergio Perez endured a weekend to forget in Suzuka, while Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured a memorable double podium for McLaren. Lewis Hamilton finished fifth and is now just 33 points off Perez in the championship standings. Norris, meanwhile, has drawn level with George Russell in seventh place in the standings with six races and three sprints to go in 2023. F1 raced in Qatar for the first time towards the end of the memorable 2021 season, when Hamilton came home in first place at the Lusail International Circuit. A race did not take place in 2022 as Qatar was focusing on hosting the FIFA World Cup. F1 has signed a 10-year deal from 2023 to host a race in Qatar every year. Follow live updates from the Qatar Grand Prix with The Independent Read More How Qatar plans to make F1 grand prix their ‘new World Cup’ F1: How can Max Verstappen win 2023 world championship in Qatar? Fernando Alonso lauds Max Verstappen as best F1 driver since Michael Schumacher

George Russell believes Max Verstappen’s imminent third world title will carry less satisfaction than his 2021 championship triumph over Lewis Hamilton because he has not been cornered into a proper fight. The imperious Dutchman, in his all-conquering Red Bull machine, has failed to win just three of the 16 rounds so far, and he is expected to sew up his latest championship in Saturday’s sprint round in Qatar. A sixth-placed finish in the 19-lap dash round the Lusail International Circuit is all he needs. Verstappen saw off Hamilton in a title battle for the ages two years ago before following up his controversial maiden world crown with a second last year. But on the eve of his third coronation, Russell, labelled a “d***head” by Verstappen after an on-track row in Azerbaijan earlier this year, said the lack of firm competition has allowed his rival to excel. “When it comes to any great in any sport, if the pressure is not turned up, you are in for a comfortable ride,” Russell told the PA news agency ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix. “And I am sure the 2021 championship fight was more satisfying for him because it was a true battle. “He has been exceptional this year, and there is no doubt about that. Week-after-week he has performed at such a high level. “But we see the strategy review before every race, and the prediction every weekend, is of him going off into the distance. He can drive at 90 per cent and still win with 10 seconds to spare, and he knows that.” Russell, 25, only five months younger than Verstappen, excelled in his first season with Mercedes in 2022. He landed the team’s only pole position, sole win, and out-scored team-mate Hamilton. But heading into the final six rounds of this campaign, he is eighth in the standings, 75 points and five places adrift of his fellow Englishman. Russell was close to tears after he allowed a rare opportunity to win slip through his fingers in Singapore – a race where he crashed out on the last lap – before he was embroiled in a number of spiky radio exchanges at the previous round in Japan as he duelled with Hamilton. Russell, on a different strategy to his team-mate, was ultimately ordered aside. However, the younger Briton insists Hamilton, 38, is not owed preferential treatment. He is also adamant that he can beat the seven-time world champion in a title fight if Mercedes provide him with the tools to do so. When it comes to any great in any sport, if the pressure is not turned up, you are in for a comfortable ride. George Russell “Absolutely,” said Russell, who will be paired with Hamilton until at least the end of 2025. “When you are going up against the best of all time, you are testing yourself. “People can easily criticise me, but every single Formula One driver has a direct comparison to their team-mate, and my judgement is against the best driver ever, so that is why I don’t mind what people say. “I took pride in last year’s performance. I took pride in taking the team’s only pole and only win, and I took pride when, at the start of the year in my first six races with the team, I was ahead of him (Hamilton) in almost every single qualifying session. “But that is not why I’m here. If I end my career tomorrow, I am not going to be singing and dancing about finishing ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the championship. “I am here to win world titles and I am here to fight. There is an equal respect between the two of us and we are on equal terms. It doesn’t matter if you are Lewis, who is a seven-time world champion and has been here for 10 years, or me who is 18 months into my time with Mercedes. “We are on a level playing field and you only gain that respect by the performances you show on track and that respect has been earned.” Hamilton may be on the longest losing streak of his career – 39 races have passed since he last entered the winner’s circle at the penultimate round in Saudi Arabia nearly two years ago – but he remains the grid’s biggest star. “It is challenging for him when there are always the lights and cameras around, and rightly so,” added Russell, speaking in the Mercedes motorhome with Hamilton a few tables away. “But we have had many occasions where we have just been one-on-one. Even in Suzuka last week we sat down and had dinner together for about two hours and chatted about things that two blokes would speak about down the pub. I feel like a normal person and when you take him out of the crazy environment he is just a normal person. “It can be difficult to let your hair down. You are always on guard. And he is obviously very conscious of that. But when you are in a safe environment he is a great bloke, we get along, and it feels very normal.” And what of next year? Will Russell, Hamilton and Mercedes be able to stop the Verstappen juggernaut? “There was quote from (four-time world champion) Sebastian (Vettel) where he said ‘enjoy it, because it doesn’t last forever’,” concluded Russell. “We will get our chance and we have to be ready for it. “What are Red Bull are going to do? Who knows? Of course they are favourites for next year. But it is down to us to wake up every morning, look in the mirror, and say ‘we need to bring our A-game every single day’, and if we do that we can give them a run for their money.” Read More Fernando Alonso lauds Max Verstappen as best F1 driver since Michael Schumacher Fernando Alonso lauds Max Verstappen as best F1 driver since Michael Schumacher Max Verstappen pips Oscar Piastri to pole after tense qualifying for Japanese GP Lando Norris narrows gap on Max Verstappen at final practice in Japan How Qatar plans to make F1 grand prix their ‘new World Cup’ Aston Martin boss reacts to Andretti’s bid to become 11th F1 team

At the Lusail International Circuit, home to the second iteration this weekend of Formula 1’s Qatar Grand Prix, a reminder of the country’s crowning moment glows bright in the background. The Lusail Iconic Stadium, the 88,000-capacity golden bowl which hosted last year’s World Cup final, is less than 10 miles down the road. But with the planet’s biggest show having come and gone – with its fair share of acclaim and criticism – Qatari executives are determined to move on. A new spectacle is in town. “We are the new World Cup for the next 10 years,” boldly stated Amro Al-Hamad, CEO of the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation, earlier this year. “Everybody [in Qatar] is now very eager to share their [World Cup] experiences with us to make sure that we deliver an even higher calibre event than the World Cup was.” Two years ago, as well as stepping in late in the day to stage the 20th race of the memorable 2021 season, Qatar signed a 10-year contract with F1 to stage a race every year from 2023. Earlier this year, F1 announced a multi-year partnership with Qatar Airways to be the sport’s global airline partner, replacing rival airline Emirates. With F1 having been long present in Bahrain and the UAE via Abu Dhabi, with Saudi Arabia a new entrant too in 2021, Qatar is now making waves at the top of single-seater motorsport, having hosted a race in MotoGP since 2004. Originally, the prospect of a street track in Doha was mooted and while that is not out of the question down the line, a newly refurbished paddock suggests the high-speed Lusail track will be the country’s home of motorsport in the short-term. The refurbs get their first showing this weekend. “The F1 paddock is state of the art,” added Al-Hamad. “We haven’t left any stone unturned. “The pit boxes are not suitable for F1 racing, opposite to the ones that we had for MotoGP [in Qatar since 2004] in the past. We have 50 boxes – I don’t think anybody else within the F1 calendar has that number of pit boxes.” The updates, however, should not overshadow concerns related to the country’s human rights record, with regards to worker conditions and discriminatory laws against women and LGBTQ+ individuals. Lewis Hamilton, who won the 2021 race, received a heap of praise when he wore a rainbow helmet two years ago. At that time, Amnesty International said: “It’s no secret that rich countries in the Middle East see top-level sport as a means to rebrand and sportswash their images, and a grand prix in Qatar would be more of the same.” F1 now hosts four races in the Middle East, including the first and last race of the season, with lucrative commercial contracts. Qatar will have an illustrious penultimate spot on the calendar next year. And despite being a new track to six of the 20 drivers this year, Qatar hosts the fourth sprint race of the season this coming weekend. But beyond any improvements to facilities off-track, the action on it typically makes an event a real hit-or miss. And while the 2023 season has been dominated by one man, Qatar is set to be the stage of his moment of glory. Max Verstappen only needs to finish in the top six in the sprint race on Saturday to claim his third championship on the bounce. The Dutchman, 26, will join the likes of Ayrton Senna, Niki Lauda and Jackie Stewart with a hat-trick of championships to his name. “It doesn’t sound too bad, does it?” said Verstappen on Thursday. “It’s something I’d never have imagined to be a part of. I don’t think I’ll fully appreciate it until I stop. We just try to enjoy the moment. “We [Red Bull] are having an incredible season. The records we are breaking as a team is something we never expected to happen. We’re incredibly proud of them. Hopefully we can keep that momentum going.” Read More F1: How can Max Verstappen win 2023 world championship in Qatar? Aston Martin boss urges F1 to stick to 10 teams British F2 star to make F1 debut with Haas How can Max Verstappen win 2023 F1 world championship in Qatar? British F2 star to make F1 debut with Haas ‘Referees make mistakes’: Gasly compares Liverpool VAR farce to Abu Dhabi controversy

Fernando Alonso has hailed Max Verstappen as Formula One’s best driver since Michael Schumacher – with the Dutchman on the brink of clinching his third world crown. The 26-year-old needs to score only three points in Saturday’s sprint race in Qatar to complete a hat-trick of world titles. Lewis Hamilton has won a record 103 races and stands on seven world titles with Schumacher. But Alonso, 42, omitted the British driver when asked if Verstappen must now be ranked alongside the sport’s modern-day greats. “I’ve only been wheel-to-wheel with Michael, but with Michael maybe, yes,” said the double world champion. “And for the next few years he will keep adding championships so we will compare him with Michael even closer in the future.” Following a Red Bull blip in Singapore, Verstappen returned to his all-conquering best at the last round in Japan to take his 13th win from the 16 rounds staged so far. Since Verstappen claimed his maiden title, at Hamilton’s expense, at the controversial season-ending Abu Dhabi race in 2021, Verstappen has won 28 of the 38 races staged – including a record run of 10 straight victories earlier this year. Hamilton, third in the championship in his Mercedes and 210 points adrift of Verstappen, said: “I wouldn’t rank him because ranking people is an opinion-based thing. “But he has earned his position, and he has done an amazing job with the package he has. Him and the team have been phenomenal and faultless this year. “They have raised the bar and as a team we have to look at that, and look at the areas where we can be better and match that and compete. “I do hope at some stage we can fight them and have them defending, but they should enjoy the moment because they have worked for it.” Verstappen will be the first driver to clinch the championship in a sprint race if he finishes sixth or higher in Saturday’s 19-lap dash at the Lusail International Circuit. He will become the 11th driver to have won more than two world titles, emulating the likes of Sir Jackie Stewart and Ayrton Senna with three. His dominance has been compared to Schumacher’s stranglehold on the sport at the turn of the century. Verstappen said: “Michael’s achievements were incredible, but when he was achieving these kind of things it was seen as normal because it was an amazing driver with an amazing team and everything came together. Maybe people got bored of it? But it was incredible to have achieved those kind of things. “I don’t think about reaching seven. We will see year-by-year what happens, but I am very proud. I live in the moment and I want to achieve more. “I know when I stop racing I will be able to look back and I will be able to appreciate it more but it wasn’t something I ever thought was achievable when I was a little kid.” Read More Max Verstappen pips Oscar Piastri to pole after tense qualifying for Japanese GP Lando Norris narrows gap on Max Verstappen at final practice in Japan Max Verstappen returns to form in Japanese Grand Prix practice Aston Martin boss reacts to Andretti’s bid to become 11th F1 team How can Max Verstappen win 2023 F1 world championship in Qatar? British F2 star to make F1 debut with Haas

British Formula 2 star Oliver Bearman will drive for Haas in practice sessions in Mexico and Abu Dhabi later this year. The 18-year-old, from Chelmsford, is a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy and Haas currently receive their engines from the Italian giants. As a result of their partnership and Haas’ requirement to fill at least two first practice sessions a season with a rookie driver, Bearman will feature in FP1 in Mexico City later this month and at the season-finale in Abu Dhabi in November. Bearman is currently sixth in the F2 standings with four victories to his name. He won the Italian F4 championship in 2021 and raced in Formula 3 last year, finishing third. “I am so happy to be joining MoneyGram Haas F1 Team driving in Mexico and Abu Dhabi,” said Bearman. “Getting to Formula 1 has been my dream since I was go-karting so to be driving a car for the first time this year is really special. “I’m grateful to the team, and of course Ferrari, for allowing me this chance. I’m working hard to make sure I’m ready to support the team as best I can on both occasions.” Haas team principal Guenther Steiner added: “We’re very happy to offer Oliver Bearman these outings in Mexico and Abu Dhabi “He’s had a stellar rookie season in Formula 2, four wins is testament to that, and as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy – we know his background preparation coming into these weekends will be first-rate. We look forward to welcoming Oliver into the team and have him drive the VF-23.” Bearman will be present in the paddock this weekend in Qatar as he embeds himself within the Haas team ahead of his first outing in Mexico City on 27 October. Read More ‘Referees make mistakes’: Pierre Gasly compares Liverpool VAR farce to Abu Dhabi controversy Aston Martin boss urges F1 to stick to 10 teams Mick Schumacher holds talks with Alpine over 2024 drive

Alpine driver Pierre Gasly admits the VAR farce surrounding Liverpool’s disallowed goal against Tottenham made him think of Abu Dhabi and the controversial end to the 2021 Formula 1 season. Luis Diaz’s goal was ruled out for offside in Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat at Tottenham on Saturday, despite replays showing the forward to be onside. The audio of the conversation between the VAR which resulted in the mistake was released on Tuesday, with Reds boss Jurgen Klopp then calling for the match to be replayed. Gasly, a PSG fan, could not resist having his own verdict on the matter and believed the situation is comparable to the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, when Lewis Hamilton was cruelly denied an eighth world title in his battle with Max Verstappen after a controversial – and ultimately wrong – ruling by then race director Michael Masi to swing the race in Verstappen’s favour. “The Liverpool [situation] was a bit of a surprise and definitely a talking point of the weekend,” Gasly said, ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix.. “We had a conversation last night and there were comments made about Abu Dhabi 2021. “It’s sport – referees also make mistakes. It’s tough to swallow when you’re on the wrong side of it. But it’s sport, even though it shouldn’t happen sometimes, it does.” Masi was later sacked as the race director following a review into the controversial ending to the 2021 season, when Verstappen overtook Hamilton on the final lap of the final race to win his first world title. As for Liverpool, despite Klopp’s unprecedented stance the Premier League insist a replay of the match will not happen. “Something like this never happened, so that is why I think a replay is the right thing to do,” Klopp said. “The audio didn’t change it at all. It is an obvious mistake. There should be solutions for that. The outcome should be a replay. But it probably won’t happen. “The argument against that would be it opens the gates. It is unprecedented. I’m used to wrong and difficult decisions, but something like this never happened.” On whether the club had asked – or would ask – the Premier League for a replay formally, Klopp added: “At this stage, we are still going through the information we have.” Read More Jurgen Klopp should know better — calling for replays sets a dangerous precedent Liverpool-Tottenham replay possible under Uefa rules loophole Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp admits his call for Tottenham replay is unlikely Aston Martin boss reacts to Andretti’s bid to become 11th F1 team Daniel Ricciardo ruled out of Qatar Grand Prix Mercedes chief details ‘very ambitious targets’ for 2024 car

Daniel Ricciardo will miss his fifth grand prix in a row this weekend in Qatar with Liam Lawson again filling in for AlphaTauri. Ricciardo, who only returned to the F1 grid in July after replacing the axed Nyck de Vries, broke a bone in his hand during second practice at the Dutch Grand Prix in August. Red Bull junior driver Lawson has since stepped in and impressed, recording the team’s best score of the season with a ninth-place finish in Singapore. Nonetheless, in the meantime, both Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda have been confirmed as AlphaTauri drivers for 2024. Yet this weekend’s sprint weekend in Qatar will once again come soon for 34-year-old Ricciardo, who will now target a return at the United States Grand Prix in Austin on October 20-22. Ricciardo has only competed in two races for AlphaTauri – in Hungary and Belgium prior to the summer break – while Lawson has featured in four. New Zealand driver Lawson, despite his eye-catching performances, has not found a seat for 2024 – though has been linked with the only unconfirmed spot on the grid at Williams amid Logan Sargeant’s struggles. Ricciardo, meanwhile, will race with Red Bull’s sister team next year in the hope it puts him in a position to take Sergio Perez’s seat for 2025. Perez’s team-mate Max Verstappen can secure his third straight world title during the sprint race this Saturday in Qatar. The Dutchman only needs to finish sixth or higher in the 100km dash around the Lusail International Circuit. Read More Mick Schumacher holds talks with Alpine over 2024 drive Christian Horner admits ‘keeping an eye’ on Lando Norris amid Red Bull link Mercedes chief details ‘very ambitious targets’ for 2024 car

Mercedes are striving for some “very ambitious targets” in the developmental phase of their 2024 car, revealed team chief Andrew Shovlin. The Silver Arrows, eight-time constructors’ champions between 2014-2021, have endured a difficult two years languishing behind runaway leaders Red Bull. The team originally persevered with a unique “no-sidepod” design before ditching it in May this year, reverting to a more orthodox approach. However, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have still been some way off the stellar pace set by Max Verstappen out in front – and Mercedes trackside engineering director Shovlin now already has an eye set on 2024. “We are changing the car quite considerably for next year,” he said, at the Japanese Grand Prix. “Whether or not we can solve all the issues that we’ve got on the handling, that will depend on a number of projects delivering. “Those projects are underway. They are not complete, but we have got some good directions to try and improve that.” Shovlin added that Mercedes, unlike this year’s inconsistent W14 car, would not be “clinging onto any concepts that we’ve had before” following a “chastening couple of years.” He details: "The car will be different. We have made a lot of changes to it but it’s very early in the development of the new car to be able to say we’ve got it sorted. "When we launched our best cars, 2015 or 2019, those years, we didn’t know they were going to be great cars when we developed them, you are just working as hard as you can trying to find as much performance as you can. "On a lot of those cars, we missed targets by quite a chunk in terms of performance but what we do know is that if you don’t set very ambitious targets, you’re probably not setting them high enough." Mercedes have won just once since the 2021 season – when George Russell took his maiden F1 win in Brazil last November – and are currently in a battle with Ferrari to finish second in the constructors’ championship after Red Bull secured their crown at Suzuka. In the drivers’ standings, Hamilton is looking to haul in second-placed Sergio Perez, with Verstappen set to secure his third straight title in Qatar this weekend. Both Hamilton and Russell signed new contracts until the end of the 2025 season last month. Read More F1: How can Max Verstappen win 2023 world championship in Qatar? Andretti F1 team entry bid accepted by FIA Mick Schumacher holds talks with Alpine over 2024 drive Andretti F1 team entry bid accepted by FIA Mick Schumacher holds talks with Alpine over 2024 drive Daniel Ricciardo fitness update ahead of Qatar Grand Prix

The FIA have announced that Andretti Formula Racing are the only team who’ve been approved for a potential team entry into Formula 1. World motorsport’s governing body started a process at the start of this year for potential additions to the grid, with an eye on the new power unit regulations in 2026. The likes of Rodin Carlin, Hitech GP and an Asia-based entry were all considered but Andretti – owned by Michael Andretti, the son of 1978 F1 world champion Mario – are the only team whose application has been approved, following a partnership announced with General Motors’ brand Cadillac. The process now moves onto Formula 1 itself, which said on Monday will “conduct their own assessment of the merits of the remaining application.” “Our objective, after rigorous due diligence during the application phase, was to only approve prospective entries which satisfied the set criteria and illustrated that they would add value to the sport,” said FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. “The FIA is obliged to approve applications that comply with the Expressions of Interests application requirements and we have adhered to that procedure in deciding that Andretti Formula Racing LLC’s application would proceed to the next stage of the application process. “In taking that decision, the FIA is acting in accordance with EU directives on motor sport participation and development. “Andretti Formula Racing LLC was the only entity which fulfils the selection criteria that was set in all material respects. I congratulate Michael Andretti and his team on a thorough submission. I also want to thank all prospective teams for their interest and participation.” Read More Mick Schumacher holds talks with Alpine over 2024 drive Daniel Ricciardo fitness update ahead of Qatar Grand Prix F1 2023 race schedule: When is the Qatar Grand Prix?

Alpine have revealed talks between the team and Mick Schumacher over a potential drive in the World Endurance Championship next year. Schumacher was dropped from his F1 race seat at Haas last year following two underwhelming seasons with Guenther Steiner’s team. The 24-year-old, son of seven-time Formula 1 world champion Michael, has however been present in the paddock this season as a reserve driver for Mercedes. But with a spot on the grid in 2024 looking increasingly unlikely Schumacher is now exploring other racing options, one of which is endurance racing and the prospect of driving at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as Alpine return to the Hypercar category next year. “It’s true that we are talking with Mick about the possibility to race in our endurance programme with the A424,” said interim Alpine F1 team boss Bruno Famin. “It would be a good opportunity for both parties. But for the time being we are just talking and hopefully we will organise a test soon.” It is thought that any endurance opportunities would be in tandem with his role as a Mercedes reserve again next year, with Silver Arrows boss Toto Wolff open to Schumacher racing in other series’ after a year out of action. Logan Sargeant’s seat at Williams is now the only unconfirmed spot on the F1 grid next year, with the American’s future up in the air after a season where he is yet to score a point, while team-mate Alex Albon has scored 21 points. Schumacher has been linked with the seat, with Wolff’s former Mercedes strategist James Vowles now in charge of the Grove-based outfit. Other options for Williams include 2022 F2 champion and current Aston Martin reserve Felipe Drugovich and Liam Lawson, who has impressed deputising for Daniel Ricciardo at AlphaTauri. Sargeant will next have a chance to score points at this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen can secure his third straight world title in the sprint race on Saturday. Read More The rise of Oscar Piastri: A genuine rival for Lando Norris at last F1: How can Max Verstappen win 2023 world championship in Qatar? Christian Horner admits ‘keeping an eye’ on Lando Norris amid Red Bull link Daniel Ricciardo fitness update ahead of Qatar Grand Prix F1 2023 race schedule: When is the Qatar Grand Prix? How can Max Verstappen win 2023 F1 world championship in Qatar?

Daniel Ricciardo is “less likely” to feature at the Qatar Grand Prix next week, according to Red Bull boss Christian Horner. Ricciardo, who returned to the F1 grid in July after replacing Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri, broke a bone in his hand during practice at the Dutch Grand Prix in late August. The Australian has not featured since and although he is making progress in his recovery, next week’s race in Lusail looks like it will come a bit too soon. “I would say probably less likely than likely at the moment,” Horner said, when asked by Sky Sports News whether Ricciardo would feature in Qatar. "His recuperation is going well but he’s fixed in the seat for next year, does he need to rush a hasty return for Qatar where maybe another couple of weeks for Austin, which is a hell of a bumpy circuit anyway, it might be better to use that time in preparation for Austin. "I know he’s got his sights fixed on Qatar, he’ll drive the simulator next week and then we’ll make some decisions based on that." In Ricciardo’s absence, Liam Lawson has filled in and impressed, especially with his ninth-place finish in Singapore which secured Red Bull’s sister team their best result of the season. “He’s done a great job; he’s really impressed us,” Horner said of Lawson. "He’s done exactly what we could have asked for in terms of grabbing the opportunity in Daniel’s absence to really show his capability. That’s turned some heads and it’s done him a lot of good. "We’ll keep developing him when he goes back into that test and reserve role and he’ll be a candidate certainly for 2025." Despite his good form, as it stands Lawson willnot be on the grid next year, with Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda keeping their seats at Alpha in 2024. Lawson has, however, been linked with replacing Logan Sargeant at Williams, with the American’s seat the only position on the grid yet to be confirmed for next year. Read More F1: How can Max Verstappen win 2023 world championship in Qatar? Christian Horner admits ‘keeping an eye’ on Lando Norris amid Red Bull link The rise of Oscar Piastri: A genuine rival for Lando Norris at last F1 2023 race schedule: When is the Qatar Grand Prix? How can Max Verstappen win 2023 F1 world championship in Qatar? F1 team application to join grid with female driver in 2026 rejected

Max Verstappen only needs to finish in the top six in the Saturday sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix to secure the 2023 F1 drivers’ title. The Red Bull driver has dominated this season, winning 13 of the 15 races as well as two of the three sprints. He most recently won in Japan, having previously failed to finish on the podium for the first time in 2023 after a mysterious drop in performance in Singapore. Nonetheless, Verstappen’s current total of 400 points puts him 177 points clear of team-mate Sergio Perez with 180 points left on the table. Here’s how Verstappen can secure title No 3 in Qatar How can Max Verstappen win 2023 F1 world championship? It’s quite simple – Verstappen only needs three more points between now and the end of the season in Abu Dhabi. Recent history suggests that will come in the next race, which is the Saturday sprint race (100km dash) around the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar. As a result, Verstappen only needs to finish sixth or higher – regardless of where Perez finishes – to secure his third-straight world title. Though an unlikely set of circumstances, a seventh-place finish would be enough if Perez comes second, while eighth would also secure the title if Perez finishes third. Verstappen could secure the world title without scoring in the points, too. If Perrez finishes fourth or lower in the sprint race, Verstappen will be the champion regardless of where he finishes. If Perez wins the sprint and Verstappen fails to score a point (top eight-finish), then Verstappen would still be crowned champion if he finishes eighth or higher during Sunday’s Qatar Grand Prix. Verstappen will leave Qatar as the champion if he has a points advantage of 146 points or more. What are the timings for the Qatar Grand Prix? The next race weekend of the 2023 season, the Qatar Grand Prix, takes place from Friday 6 October – Sunday 8 October as F1 returns to Lusail for the first time since the inaugural race in 2021. The schedule is as follows: first practice takes place at 2:30pm (BST) on Friday before qualifying for Sunday’s grand prix at 6pm. On Saturday, the sprint shootout which determines the grid for the sprint race takes place at 2pm before the sprint race itself at 6:30pm (BST). The 2023 Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday starts at 6pm (BST). Read More Adrian Newey reveals ‘emotional’ Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton regret Christian Horner admits ‘keeping an eye’ on Lando Norris amid Red Bull link Christian Horner reveals Max Verstappen ambition ahead of Japan victory