The surge in performance, the consequences of lap 48 and a first F1 race in Losail – 5 storylines that we are looking forward to before the Grand Prix of Qatar

The last triple header of the season comes to an end with a new venue, as Formula 1 is heading for a race in Qatar for the first time. Here are some of the stories the paddock is likely to talk about before visiting Losail.

1. Performance fluctuations at Mercedes and Red Bull

This is the season that just passes. Every time it looks like one team is the clear favorite for a race weekend, the other comes back in style. Mexico was a dominant performance from Red Bull, Brazil even more so from Mercedes.

Which way will Qatar go? That’s the question so many ask when we venture out on a new track and try to figure out which team will prefer it.

READ MORE: Was Hamilton’s rush in Sao Paulo down to that new Mercedes engine?

One thing that was so exciting in 2021 was the ability for both teams to outdo each other in getting their respective cars into the right work window, but rarely did one have a massive advantage over the other. Then the last two weeks happened, but while one of the championship contenders dominated, the other made sure that he limited the damage with second place. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton can’t get away with it.

With three races in the Middle East and some common traits on the routes ahead, a strong performance in Qatar should bode well for the rest of the year. Which version of each team we get this weekend could prove to be crucial.

Which car package will have the upper hand this weekend?

2. The philosophy “let them run”

One of the main talking points from Brazil was the battle between Hamilton and Verstappen on lap 48, when the two competed wheel to wheel on the run to Turn 4. Hamilton almost drove away in front of the braking zone on the outside. before both drivers got off the track.

The championship leader failed to reach the top or keep his car on the track and the Red Bull ran far and Hamilton went off the track too. Mercedes wasn’t happy with Verstappen staying in the lead at the time, but after FIA Race Director Michael Masi noticed the incident, commissioners decided no investigation was needed.

On Tuesday, Mercedes decided they weren’t ready to leave it there and requested a formal “right of review” – so it seems we haven’t heard of this hot spot for the last time …

READ MORE: Mercedes seeks “right of review” over Hamilton-Verstappen clash on lap 48 in Brazil

All the Angles: Verstappen and Hamilton’s fight on round 48 in Brazil

3. McLaren in the last chance sedan

Ferrari’s form in recent races has been remarkable. Since the Scuderia introduced a new engine upgrade, they have been extremely competitive at every venue and have finished in the top five with at least one car in each of the last seven races.

In the last two races they crossed the finish line with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in fifth and sixth and finished the best of the rest in Interlagos behind Mercedes and Red Bull, as Sainz earned an additional point with third place in the sprint.

After Russia – the first race in which a Ferrari driver took over the new engine – McLaren had a 17.5 point lead over Ferrari, but that has since been reversed and they are now 31.5 points behind. With the two teams’ close match for much of the season, large point fluctuations were difficult to achieve, but the most recent run makes it extremely difficult to see how McLaren will hold up Ferrari momentum. If you are going to do this, you have to make serious progress this weekend.

READ MORE: Ferrari pulls away from P3 rivals McLaren while Sainz and Norris tangle in Brazil

McLaren slips Ferrari and the coveted P3 in the constructors’ championship …

4. The closest fight on the grid

While the fight for third place in the constructors’ championship seems to fizzle out with Ferrari going so far, the fight for fifth place takes on a completely different face.

If we use Russia again as a benchmark, Alpine had 103 points and was 19 ahead of AlphaTauri. That might not sound like a lot, but when four other teams (Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren) regularly score points in front of you, you usually argue about the last two or three points that score.

Since then, Alpine has only gained nine more points while AlphaTauri took 28, which means they are completely even with three laps to go. They were even tied before Brazil, where Pierre Gasly with seventh place in front of Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso with eighth and ninth place ensured the two teams tied for points.

READ MORE: 6 Winners and 5 Losers of Sao Paulo Grand Prix – Who Dominated It in Brazil?

Gasly has led the way by securing 92 of the AlphaTauri with a total of 112 points, while the Alpine pairs with Alonso 62 and Ocon 50 are more evenly distributed. It’s this balance that keeps the fight tight, as AlphaTauri has the faster car, but Yuki Tsunoda hasn’t scored as consistently in his rookie season.

It’s like starting from scratch with three rounds to go, but one big result could decide this fight one way or another.

5 alpine		112
6th AlphaTauri		112

5. A first race in Losail

Fresh from three venues that have returned to the calendar after a year of failure due to Covid-19, we are now heading to the first Grand Prix of Qatar and a race at the Losail International Circuit.

Losail is no stranger to big events, with MotoGP races here regularly, but it will be the first time an F1 car has raced at this location since it was manufactured in 2004.

READ MORE: Norris and Hamilton pay tribute to seven-time MotoGP champion Rossi ahead of his final race

The teams are used to racing in the Middle East, and pre-season testing also took place in nearby Bahrain this year, but they will have a lot to learn and learn during practice as they tackle a new track which was only confirmed in the calendar at the end of September. Even at the end of the triple header, there wasn’t much time to prepare for the first visit to the track.

It may be the first race in Qatar, but it won’t be the last. Even if the race won’t be on the calendar next year, it is a sign that a 10-year contract will be signed to host races from 2023.

On board: Qatar joins the F1 calendar in 2021