The F1 Qatar Grand Prix put the drivers through a physical challenge beyond what is reasonable, believes Thomas Maher...
A combination of factors combined to make the Qatar Grand Prix a grueling endurance test on the limits of human biology, and F1 was lucky to escape unscathed.
This is mostly down to the much higher average speeds of the Lusail Circuit, a ferociously fast, swooping circuit with high G-force demands that would prove energy-sapping regardless of temperature. But it was the ludicrous situation of the Pirelli tyres and the mandatory stint lengths that really did a number on the drivers. The Lusail Circuit’s extreme kerbing, which was a tyre destroyer even back in 2021 on F1’s last visit, proved too much for the Pirelli construction and was causing alarming separation of the sidewalls. Unlike the disastrous stand-off of the 2005 United States GP, the FIA took swift action – reaching the solution of mandating a maximum of 18 laps on each set of tyres.
Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, who finished seventh, vomited into his helmet with just 15 laps gone – spending the next hour circulating with his own sour sick soaking into the cushioning around his mouth and only adding further to his discomfort. It’s to the credit of Williams and team boss James Vowles that they made it clear to Sargeant that there would be no shame in retiring – a hugely commendable display of solidarity with their rookie driver. Despite the unwanted circumstance of retiring an undamaged car, Sargeant promptly slowed and withdrew from the race, taking a few minutes to sit in his car and cool down before gingerly climbing out.
With limited fluids, dehydration was an obvious issue for the drivers. As the race progressed, and the conditions got tougher and tougher as the pace remained relentless, there was a real danger of a driver making an error as a result of this.
“I’ve always been able to do two race distances in the car, that’s always what I’m training for but today, it’s just the hot air and how hot the engine is from behind the car. George Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association said he felt the conditions had been a step too far.“If over 50 per cent of the grid were saying they’re feeling sick, couldn’t drive, close to passing out – you don’t want to be passing out when you’re driving 200 miles an hour down the straight and that’s how I felt at times. Any hotter, I think I’d have retired because my body was going to give up.
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