2021 Catarrh Grand Prix

[PTRACER]

An excessive discharge or build-up of mucus in the nose or throat, associated with inflammation of the mucous membrane. Also spelt Qatar.

And that just about sums up my interest for this race.

0:00 - Nooo, we will not let you go

[Everso Biggyballies]

OK then, a bit more info on the track and tyres.

The track is expected to require a high downforce set-up due to its technical middle sector, leading to concerns about the amount of overtaking that will be possible.....




First a track map with the DRS info.



First Grand Prix
2021

Number of Laps
57

Circuit Length
5.38km

Race Distance
306.66 km

Lap Record
null null (null)

Losail
When was the track built?
The Losail International Circuit, located on the outskirts of the capital city of Doha, was built in preparation for hosting Qatar’s first ever MotoGP event in 2004, with the circuit completed in just over a year.

When was its first Grand Prix?
Obviously 2021 represents the first time Qatar has ever hosted the FIA Formula One World Championship – with the country signing an additional 10-year deal to host the sport from 2023. (Nothing next year because of the World Cup being hosted by Qatar, and then F1 returns but will likely be at a new circuit rather than Loisail.

Losail has been a mainstay on the MotoGP calendar since opening in 2004, but has not hosted a major single-seater championship since GP2 Asia raced there in 2009..


What’s the circuit like?
Designed primarily with motorcycle racing in mind, the 5.4-kilometre Losail International Circuit is a fast and flowing track, where medium- and high-speed corners predominate. Over one kilometre of the track’s total length is made up of the main straight, which provides plenty of overtaking opportunities into Turn 1.


TYRES

First thing I noticed is that the Pirelli supplied graphic has spelt the venue wrongly!

WHY WE’VE CHOSEN THE TYRES
For the very first Qatar Grand Prix, held over 57 laps, Pirelli’s C1 compound has been chosen as the P Zero White hard, C2 as the P Zero Yellow medium and C3 as the P Zero Red soft. This is the fifth and last time this year that the three hardest compounds in the range have been nominated.
Existing data and simulations from teams point to Losail being a high-severity circuit with very demanding corners – similar to Silverstone or Mugello – and quite aggressive asphalt. The grip might also be affected by sand from the desert surrounding the track. With Qatar also being a completely new venue for Formula 1, Pirelli has opted for the three hardest compounds: capable of handling all of Losail’s varied demands.

TRACK CHARACTERISTICS



There’s a start-finish straight that’s just over a kilometre long, but also a quick succession of 16 corners to make up the rest of the lap, which means that the tyres are always working hard. This is expected to lead to a reasonably high degree of degradation.

The track still has its original surface from 2004, which offers high grip and has become quite abrasive over time, accentuating wear and degradation.

Despite the presence of strategically-placed artificial grass around the circuit to keep away the sand from the desert, the asphalt could still become very dusty thus affecting grip.

Turns 12 to 14 form a triple-apex right-hander, making up almost a single high-energy 5.2g corner that is slightly reminiscent of the famous Turn 8 in Turkey – only in the opposite direction.

Qatar is just one of four races held in the evening under floodlights this year. This means that the evolution of track temperature over the course of the grand prix should be quite different compared to a standard afternoon race, with the potential for a big drop-off as the race goes on. In the desert, there’s a big difference in temperature between day and night. While the race takes place at 5pm local time, FP1 and FP3 happens during the heat of the day, so only FP2 and qualifying provide a truly representative picture of the likely race conditions.

There are no support races at all on the schedule and the circuit hasn’t been used a lot recently, which will mean that there’s no rubber laid down prior to F1 cars running. As a result drivers can expect a slippery track at first and a high degree of track evolution. The surface could also be ‘reset’ by sand blowing onto the track over the weekend.

MARIO ISOLA – HEAD OF F1 AND CAR RACING
“Qatar will provide a thrilling new challenge at a unique venue with its own special character, so we’re very much looking forward to our first visit. Coming to a new circuit isn’t a novel experience for us though, and we rely on simulation data as well as track information that we collect in advance to select the nomination that will be used. We haven’t had the chance to measure the roughness of the asphalt with our instruments but the promoter provided us with very useful information on the asphalt characteristics. From what we can see, the hardest tyres in the range will be well-suited to Losail, due to the quite abrasive asphalt and the very demanding corners. But as we’ve never actually raced there before, we’ll only get a true picture of how the tyres really work on this circuit once we arrive.”

MIN. STARTING PRESSURES (slicks) EOS CAMBER LIMIT
PRESSURE 22.0 psi (front) | 19.5 psi (rear) -3.25° (front) | -2.00 ° (rear) CAMBER

https://press.pirelli.com/2021-qatar-gr ... --preview/

[DoubleFart]

So Lewis will just use the main straight to overtake anything he is near. Great.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Some other comments re the anticipated lack of overtaking opportunities which are from Qatar's Motorsport Chief, so likely should be read with large amounts of salt.....

Qatar motorsport chief Amro Al-Hamad is confident the Losail International Circuit’s inaugural Formula 1 race will offer “a lot of overtaking” despite concerns that passing could be difficult.

But Al-Hamad, who serves as the executive director of Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation, felt confident that the lack of track data and the flowing layout would create an exciting on-track spectacle.

“Nobody has any data here, nobody drove here before, so that is going to add a lot,” Al-Hamad told Autosport.

“Every single minute in practice is going to make a difference because they still don’t know what type of set-up they need for all their chassis.

“The strategy is going to be completely different when it comes to tyre wear, because it’s a very fast track, or a flowing track with a couple of opportunities for overtaking.

“I know from a competitive driver point of view that there is a lot of overtaking that is going to be done, against all of the speculation that has been spread, that this is a straight-line kind of circuit, which it’s not.


“It’s very technical. It needs a lot of downforce. There are a lot of strategies that are going to be involved with the tyre wear here as well.”

In order to prepare the Losail track to host F1, a number of updates have been made in collaboration with the FIA to ensure all safety measures are met and up to the Grade 1 track requirements.

“It was mainly barriers, the TecPros, the locations of the TecPros, and so on,” Al-Hamad said. “That was mainly it. A minor change was the position of the pit entry, it has been changed. It was at the beginning of Turn 16, and now it’s a little bit behind Turn 15.

“For safety purposes, it’s more suitable for motorbikes, and now we made it even safer for the use of Formula 1 or any other big calibre motorsport championship we might host, or I should say, we will host at Losail International Circuit.”

Al-Hamad was hopeful that hosting the F1 race would help put Qatar in contention to bring other major motorsport championships to the state in the future.

“Formula 1 being here is definitely going to attract a lot of attention, and put us back again in the spotlight,” he said. “So there’s a huge possibility that we’re going to host a lot of other motorsports events in the state.”

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/qatar ... x/6791044/

[Circuitmaster]

So Lewis will just use the main straight to overtake anything he is near. Great.

To be fair, the straight is only 1.05km, which makes it ever so slightly longer than the flat out section in Brazil. That wasn't long enough for Lewis to pass the red bulls despite the huge speed differential, he needed the second drs zone which doesn't exist here.

Plus, the number of medium, slow corners needed to follow through in Interlagos is pretty low, just a handful really, then back to the double DRS zone. This track is the opposite, with a huge amount of following behind other cars before getting a chance at the one and only overtaking spot.

Quali will be critical. The question is, can red bull make the difference in the rest of the lap to beat the Mercs on Saturday?

[Vassago]

An excessive discharge or build-up of mucus in the nose or throat, associated with inflammation of the mucous membrane. Also spelt Qatar.

In Polish the word is spelled "katar", and yes, the country is called Katar. I see the English word is "rhinitis" though I doubt many people use that

[SBan83]

I can just feel the neverending aeropush looking at that trackmap.

[MonteCristo]

0:00 - Nooo, we will not let you go

That's very progressive of them not to have jockeys on the back whipping them. Horse racing, take note if horses really do "just love to run".

That said, those things on their backs are probably electric things that zap them.

[Circuitmaster]

Alright, let's talk ramifications. It will take something dramatic, though not unheard of, for this to get decided before Abu Dhabi. No one can become champion in Qatar obviously.

Max could win in SA if he wins the next two races.. most people would have that as unlikely. If he wins in Qatar and gets FL, and then outscores Lewis by four points, he'll be champion. (Or vice versa)

For Lewis to win it in Saudi, he'd need to hope for some misfortune for Max. Two no points finishes for Max, combined with a win and a second place for Lewis would do it.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Alright, let's talk ramifications. It will take something dramatic, though not unheard of, for this to get decided before Abu Dhabi. No one can become champion in Qatar obviously.

Max could win in SA if he wins the next two races.. most people would have that as unlikely. If he wins in Qatar and gets FL, and then outscores Lewis by four points, he'll be champion. (Or vice versa)

For Lewis to win it in Saudi, he'd need to hope for some misfortune for Max. Two no points finishes for Max, combined with a win and a second place for Lewis would do it.

Ah, but that might change as I see Merc have been summoned by the FIA today (Thursday) re their appeal over the stewards decision re the off track excursion Max subjected Lewis too and the onboard footage now available.
Mind you I am not sure if.this is the actual appeal, the result of which might allow the FIA to change the results from Brazil (ie +5 secs to Max, which would make Max 3rd not 2nd, and the points implications of that.... or whether this is the meeting to decide if there should be a meeting to review the 'additional' info available now.

[Michkov]

0:00 - Nooo, we will not let you go

That's very progressive of them not to have jockeys on the back whipping them. Horse racing, take note if horses really do "just love to run".

That said, those things on their backs are probably electric things that zap them.

Robots, they are, taking our damn jobs

[MonteCristo]

0:00 - Nooo, we will not let you go

That's very progressive of them not to have jockeys on the back whipping them. Horse racing, take note if horses really do "just love to run".

That said, those things on their backs are probably electric things that zap them.

Robots, they are, taking our damn jobs

so the camel can take directions, and a small whip

Figures.

[White six]

Theoretically Max should be back on top here, but that new injun looks powerful

[PTRACER]

0:00 - Nooo, we will not let you go

That's very progressive of them not to have jockeys on the back whipping them. Horse racing, take note if horses really do "just love to run".

That said, those things on their backs are probably electric things that zap them.

Robots, they are, taking our damn jobs

Interesting. So until 15 years ago, they had small children illegally trafficked from other countries on their backs. What a step forward.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Weather..... well it seems unlikely to rain. In fact it will be clear sunny and warm.... well certainly for the day time bits. I think that there will be some running under lights, and so it wont be a sunny race. Yes, under the lights this weekend for the first time since we were in Bahrain for the season opener in March, as I jut checked and Qatar is set to be a twilight race, with the start scheduled for 17:00 local time.

The cooler temperatures in the evening will make life easier for the drivers, cars, tyres and team members, but FP1 and FP3 will take place during the day, which means FP2 will provide the most representative picture of likely qualifying and race conditions.

And yay, no sprint race, just the normal format.