Will Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton be leading the incredibly close title battle after the first-ever Qatar GP? Watch qualifying at 2pm on Saturday and the race at 2pm on Sunday – both live only on Sky Sports F1
Last Updated: 19/11/21 10:17am
Formula 1’s dramatic championship battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton is down to its final three races, starting with the Qatar GP – and you can watch all the action live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend.
Verstappen and Hamilton, following a controversial Sao Paulo GP, are split by just 14 points in the standings, meaning the title cannot be clinched this weekend – but they can go a long way to having their hands on the trophy.
The Qatar GP sees a return to F1’s usual format, with three practice sessions before Saturday qualifying, and the more familiar ‘European’ times for the first F1 weekend at the Losail International Circuit just outside Doha.
The key live times on Sky Sports F1 this weekend are:
Qualifying starts at 2pm on Saturday with build-up from 1pmThe race starts at 2pm on Sunday with build-up from 12.30pm
What’s Qatar’s Losail circuit like?
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Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz explains the challenges the drivers will face at the Losail International Circuit in the maiden Qatar Grand Prix.
Although a first-time visit for Formula 1, Qatar has staged international racing events at the Losail since it opened in 2004. Qatar has been a mainstay on the MotoGP bike racing calendar since that inaugural year.
F1 has been a rumoured target for at least the last 10 years and Qatar is technically filling in this year for the Australian GP which was moving to a November slot due to Covid-19 but then cancelled altogether several months ago for the second year running.
A 10-year deal from 2023 was penned at the same time (there will be no event in 2022 due to the World Cup) although the return is likely to be at a different venue to Losail.
Losail key track facts
Sergio Perez is the only one of the grid’s current drivers to have raced the track, the now-Red Bull driver winning there in the GP2 Asia winter series in 2009. Former Force India team-mate Nico Hulkenberg won that weekend’s other race.
“It is a really fast track, with a lot of downforce required so we will see how quick we can be,” said Perez. “I don’t remember driving there very well, it was a long time ago so I don’t believe there is much advantage for me!”Sergio Perez is the only one of the grid’s current drivers to have raced the track, the now-Red Bull driver winning there in the GP2 Asia winter series in 2009. Former Force India team-mate Nico Hulkenberg won that weekend’s other race.
The race takes place at 5pm local time, 2pm in the UK, classifying it as a ‘twilight’ race like Abu Dhabi which starts as the sun is setting and finishes under floodlights.
When to watch this weekend live on Sky Sports F1
Friday
10.00am: Practice One Live (Session starts at 10.30am)
1.45pm: Practice Two Live (Session starts at 2pm)
Saturday
10.45am: Practice Three Live (Session starts at 11am)
1pm: Qualifying build-up Live
2pm: Qatar GP Qualifying Live*
3.45pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook*
Sunday
12.30pm: Race build-up – Grand Prix Sunday Live
2pm: THE QATAR GRAND PRIX LIVE
4pm: Race reaction – Chequered Flag Live
5pm: Ted’s Notebook Live
6pm: Qatar GP highlights
*Simulcast on Sky Sports Main Event
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