Qatar Grand Prix Free Practice 1 Recap and Context
Max Verstappen led the lone free practice session for the Qatar Grand Prix, the fourth event in a six race sprint-era sequence on the 2023 calendar. The weekend marks the return of the sprint format with the classification taking place this afternoon at 19:00 to determine the starting order for Sunday, while Saturday is dedicated to the sprint itself.
With a mathematical path within reach, Verstappen only needs to add three points to seal his third world title, making a championship clinch feel likely as soon as this Saturday. He set the fast lap late in the session after leading from the outset, clocking a 1.27.428 on soft tires that edged ahead of the Ferraris driven by Sainz and Leclerc. Fernando Alonso finished fourth, marking a notable performance as he became the first driver to race the weekend with medium tires on the Aston Martin AMR23.
Alonso, using the hard Pirelli compound, had led portions of the session by riding in the cockpit of the Aston Martin. Even so, both Alonso and his team entered the weekend mindful of the Qatar circuit’s characteristics and how they may shape Sunday’s race. The Spaniard posted a 1.28.624, a time that sat four tenths quicker than Leclerc and about half a second faster than Verstappen, at least until the final laps altered the pecking order.
Oscar Piastri, backed by the pace of his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, impressed with a 1.28.380 on the same configuration. The pair briefly moved ahead as some drivers waited to see if the soft tire would yield the best single-lap pace. In the meantime Leclerc briefly claimed the lead on medium tires with a 1.28.104, and Alonso subsequently shaved time again with his best effort before Verstappen’s decisive soft-tyre run pushed Red Bull to the front once more. Mercedes and McLaren chose to follow the softer compound approach in the closing minutes, but Verstappen answered definitively with a lap that stood atop the timesheets as the session concluded.
Given that this free practice 1 occurred under natural daylight and that both today’s time trial and the weekend’s two races will take place in similar conditions, the session proceeded without incidents. The times reached here are best understood as a baseline rather than a direct predictor of Sunday results, as the nature of the Qatar circuit and the evolving setup choices play a significant role in the sprint weekend dynamic. The session finished without notable events or disruptions, underscoring a focus on setup, tire management, and pace adaptation as teams gather data for the more consequential sessions ahead.
In the broader context of the weekend, teams are balancing the need for outright pace with long-run consistency on a circuit that demands thoughtful tire strategy and precise car behavior. Ver‑stappen’s strong showing reasserts Red Bull’s position in the sprint format era, while Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes each demonstrated the potential to shape the weekend with strategic tire decisions and qualifying performance. The narrative remains clear: if Verstappen secures a few points on Saturday, the path to a third world title would be a straightforward next milestone, with the possibility of a formal confirmation looming over Sunday’s main event. This interplay between sprint results and the primary race adds a new layer of urgency to every setup choice and every tire selection, making practice sessions an important, tactical preface to the championship storyline.