Losail International Circuit will host its first ever Formula 1 race this weekend, while the Qatar Grand Prix makes its bow. But even though they only had simulator laps, junior racing experience, and track hikes to impart their knowledge of the desert track, the F1 field was still gearing up for a full, physical experience that weekend.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc used the power of the pedal to discover the challenges of the Losail International Circuit on Wednesday – which was first used as a venue for the MotoGP in 2004. But Leclerc was confident that the Qatar Grand Prix this weekend would be a challenge for him and his fellow drivers and told the media on Thursday at Losail: “It looks like it’s going to be a very intense track on that you can drive, many high-speed corners that are always a pleasure, so I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. “
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Sergio Perez is a rarity on the grid as the Mexican raced (and won) the Qatar circuit when he competed in the GP2 Asia Series in 2009 – although the Red Bull driver admitted his memories of the Covering the route a little … foggy.
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“I don’t really remember anything from the track,” said Perez. “I’ve only driven here once and it has disappeared from my radar; Formula 1 never came back or has never been here. When I was in the simulator, it was like learning a new route. It looks fun. I don’t think there will be a lot of overtaking so I think qualifying will be very important.
“It’s such a quick way; The slip energy you put into the tires will be crucial, so I think pretty much every single corner is very important, especially in the race. I think we still have a lot to find out about this place. “
When asked whether the venue would prefer Red Bull or title rivals Mercedes this weekend, Perez replied: “It was so varied throughout the season; We thought we would be faster in Brazil, but they were a lot faster. We can be stronger here, I think. The fast and fluid passages can definitely do us good. “
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Fernando Alonso, like several other drivers on the grid, admitted that they know the Losail International Circuit mainly from its use as a track in MotoGP – and said he was curious to see what an F1 car would look like at the venue.
With a straight stretch that is well over a kilometer long, the Qatar Grand Prix will have incredibly high speeds
“I followed this route in MotoGP,” said the Alpine rider. “It’s the first race of the year so I always watch it and play the video games here with MotoGP so I always wonder how a Formula 1 car will do here. I’ll get the answer this weekend! It looks fast, it looks good to drive so I think it’s going to be a very good weekend and I’m excited to be here for the first time and for the first time in many years. “
Alonso’s AlphaTauri rival Pierre Gasly is another MotoGP fan who admitted that his on-track experience didn’t go far beyond watching his pal Fabio Quartararo race. And Gasly showed his excitement trying out the venue in an F1 car for the first time.
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“The only experience I have is watching my friend [Fabio] Quartararo rides here in MotoGP, ”said the Frenchman. “I have to say, it seems like a really good track, I also drove in the simulator and… the type of corner, high speed, medium speed, is always very pleasant in a Formula 1 car to take the car on Pushing the limit at such high speed, so I’m really excited to discover this new track.
“It’s also a big challenge for the team because we don’t have any data to prepare for the weekend. I think it will be interesting to see who is up to speed faster than others. “
The post “It’s going to be very intense” – Why the F1 drivers prepare for a wild ride on their F1 debut in Qatar first appeared on monter-une-startup.
