Qatar Grand Prix: Pre-race comments

      McLaren Formula 1 Team

      Lando Norris: "Great to be back in Qatar for the final sprint weekend of the season. I'm happy to be able to drive the MCL39 around the Losail track. There are good overtaking opportunities here, and I'm ready to fight for the win."

      Oscar Piastri: "Losail is one of my favourite circuits on the calendar. I have a lot of good memories here, including my first Formula 1 win in the 2023 sprint.

      The track is fast and flowing with many medium-speed and high-speed corners and good overtaking opportunities. I'm looking forward to both races and the chance to fight at the front."

      Andrea Stella, team principal: "What happened in Las Vegas will not change our approach this weekend. The mindset that helped us win two Constructors' Championships and put both our drivers in title fights remains unchanged. We will push to the limit to fully unlock the potential.

      Painful moments are part of our sport, but they provide opportunities to learn and become stronger. We've analyzed everything, made improvements and are ready to move forward.

      The team remains united and focused on giving Lando and Oscar the best car in Qatar. The characteristics of the circuit should suit our car. There are two rounds ahead, and both our drivers deserve a chance to fight for the title."

      Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team

      Toto Wolff: "There are two rounds left in the season. Ahead of Qatar we have a solid advantage in the fight for second place in the Constructors' Championship, but nothing is guaranteed. In Las Vegas we clawed points back on our closest rivals, but the weekend showed how quickly things can change. Our team performed well, and we intend to repeat that in Doha and Abu Dhabi.

      The sprint format this weekend will add complications, as will the tyre usage restrictions. It's important to start the first practice confidently and lay the groundwork for the rest of the weekend – that will be key.

      We expect our rivals to be quick. Hot weather and fast corners haven't been a strong suit for our car this year. However, we are focused on our own tasks and will try to extract the maximum from the equipment we have."

      Red Bull Racing

      Max Verstappen: "After the Las Vegas round our points gap has shrunk, but as we prepare for the Qatar Grand Prix we keep the same approach we've always used: treat each race individually.

      Every weekend we aim to score as many points as possible and try to get the maximum efficiency from the car – that's how we intend to operate during the Qatar weekend. The weekend includes a sprint, which is an opportunity to score even more points, and we must execute perfectly.

      Losail is a demanding track, and the hot weather means a sensible approach to tyre management is crucial, and we must ensure we do everything right, including the race requiring two mandatory pit stops.

      We'll try to maintain the pace; the team is determined to do everything to deliver the best possible result."

      Yuki Tsunoda: "I'm preparing for the Qatar round knowing that if luck is on my side, I can have a stronger weekend. I believe that if everything comes together, I can show good pace in the car and deliver the result the team deserves.

      The sprint format gives the chance to earn more points, which is vital for us to achieve the goal we have in the Constructors' Championship. However, there are challenges because there will be little time to find the right setups.

      There was a sprint in the Austin weekend too and I performed well then, so I hope things go my way again this time, after which we'll need to deliver a solid main qualifying and the Sunday race. We all must work together to achieve that. Max is back in the title fight and he has a real chance, so I'll do everything I can to help him."

      Scuderia Ferrari

      Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari team principal: "After a difficult weekend in Las Vegas we arrive in Qatar fully focused and ready to work on track.

      The Lusail International Circuit has its own characteristics, and in the high-speed corners both car and driver are put to a tough test, while Pirelli's new limits on the number of laps per set of tyres add a new element to strategy choices.

      We are concentrating on our own tasks and will try to take every opportunity to score the points available at this round, which includes the last sprint of the season. We all have a fighting spirit, and at the end of the championship we'll try to achieve strong results."

      Williams Racing

      Carlos Sainz: "It's great to leave Las Vegas with a lot of points from fifth place. In Qatar we'll try to maintain the momentum.

      Because it's a sprint weekend we have to get straight to work, but given that this type of circuit doesn't particularly suit the car, it will be tough. Nevertheless, we've learned a few things from recent rounds, and applying that information I hope we can mitigate our weaknesses.

      We'll try to make the most of every opportunity to keep performing strongly in this three-round run of races!"

      Alex Albon: "The weekend in Las Vegas was tough because of the retirement and because my radio stopped working during the race. Afterwards we had a long debrief, and I'm ready to make amends.

      Another sprint weekend is ahead, and although the circuit doesn't particularly suit our car, we won't shy away from fighting and will do everything possible to take advantage of any opportunities. The team is fully focused on attacking in the final races of the season and holding on to fifth place in the Constructors' Championship."

      Racing Bulls

      Isaac Hadjar: "We had a very good weekend in Las Vegas, scoring important Constructors' points for the team and showing speed in different conditions.

      It's great that we return to track this week in Qatar for the penultimate round of the season. I really like the circuit, and its medium-speed and fast corners should suit our car. I'm looking forward to the start of the weekend with confidence."

      Liam Lawson: "It's just incredible to finish the season with night races, which I love. I'm looking forward to going to the fast circuit in Qatar.

      Mandatory pit stops this weekend will make the race more interesting, and strategy will matter more than ever.

      We face the last sprint weekend of the season, which gives more chances to score Constructors' points. We learned lessons from Las Vegas and will put everything together this weekend."

      Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team

      Interview: Lance Stroll

      Haas F1 Team

      Aio Komatsu, team principal: "Two final rounds remain in the Middle East, the first of which is a Saturday sprint weekend in Qatar. There's an intense fight in the Constructors' Championship, so it is important to have a productive Friday practice to score valuable points for the team.

      We will face very different conditions than in Vegas, and the sprint weekend places additional constraints on tyre usage. We look forward to the opportunity to fully realise our potential in the final stage of this incredible season."

      Oliver Bearman: "The track in Qatar suits our car much better, and I'm looking forward to the weekend. These cars come alive on circuits like this. Also, it's a Saturday sprint weekend, which means an extra chance to score points. We'll give everything until the end of the season."

      Esteban Ocon: "This is the second race in a run of three consecutive rounds, and it's great that it's in Qatar. Conditions will be very different to Vegas, and with a Saturday sprint weekend it's important to make the most of the single practice session.

      This week we have two opportunities to score points that are very important for the team. We'll do everything to perform well at the penultimate round of the season, where the Constructors' fight is still intense."

      Sauber

      Jonathan Wheatley, team principal: "It's pleasing to see the team deliver solid results in recent races. We all work very hard, and the results show that the effort is paying off. However, we need to work even harder to get the maximum from both cars at each race if we want to improve our chances in the Constructors' Championship.

      The circuit in Qatar has been good for us in the past, and we want to continue the run and score points again. In a sprint format every session matters, and we want to get the most out of this weekend to strengthen our position in the Constructors' standings."

      Nico Hulkenberg: "Lately we've been getting great results, and I want to confirm our form at Losail this weekend. The sprint format is always intense because we have less time to get everything perfect.

      If we continue to operate without mistakes and make the most of the opportunities, we can keep the momentum going."

      Gabriel Bortoleto: "It's nice to return this weekend to a familiar circuit where I've already had strong results. The races in Brazil and Vegas were tough, but I plan to make up for that in the final two rounds of the season.

      We've seen the car's potential and we know we can fight for points at every race if we deliver a good weekend, so that should be our aim. We'll have two opportunities to score – in the sprint and the main race – so we'll try to get the maximum out of both."

      BWT Alpine F1 Team

      Pierre Gasly: "We left Vegas with mixed feelings; we had decent pace in both dry and wet conditions, but through no fault of our own we couldn't capitalise on that in the race. The first-corner incident caused significant damage that almost immediately took me out of contention. It's encouraging that we were among the leaders in qualifying and managed to start again in the top 10.

      Another night race is ahead, but in very different, much warmer conditions. The unique circuit in Qatar is made up almost entirely of high-speed corners – it'll be interesting to see how our car looks there.

      This is the last sprint weekend of the season. There is only one practice session, so we must get everything right. I know the whole team is ready for this challenge and we all want to score a few more points."

      Franco Colapinto: "The weekend in Las Vegas was tough for my side of the garage. Conditions were challenging, it was cold and raining, which made the car difficult to manage on track, especially in qualifying, but I managed to reach the second session.

      In the race my car was damaged during the chaos at the first corner and it wasn't possible to fix the consequences, but we learned a lot from that experience. Before Qatar we'll analyse everything carefully to make the most of the final two rounds.

      This is the last sprint weekend of the season, so it's important to run a good practice and immediately get into the right rhythm."