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Nov.30 (GMM) Drivers say Sunday’s Qatar GP is likely to be a processional affair after a sprint that reinforced the circuit’s chronic inability to produce exciting racing.
Fernando Alonso was blunt, telling DAZN the sprint was not even a race.
“It was a procession of cars,” he said.
“In today’s F1 we have tyre pressures dictated by Pirelli, pitstops dictated by the FIA, weight distribution dictated by the FIA.
“We have excesses of everything except the things that give a spectacle,” the 44-year-old veteran added.
Lando Norris – who will clinch the title on Sunday if he wins from P3 – is expecting much the same.
“The run to Turn 1 is the only opportunity,” he said. “Apart from that, it’s going to be a pretty boring and straightforward race.”
Max Verstappen agreed the sprint was “pretty boring”, blaming the inability to follow.
“You just can’t follow – the tyres overheat. With all the high-speed corners and the grip, it’s super tough to get close.”
Even DRS isn’t helping, Norris added, because “as soon as you’re within three seconds, you start to struggle.”
There have been whispers about lengthening the DRS zone for Sunday, but some teams pushed back over setup concerns.
George Russell – who never even reached DRS range in the sprint – said the layout simply doesn’t allow overtaking. “It wouldn’t matter if DRS was three times longer,” he said.
“With all the flat-out corners before the straight, it’s impossible to stay close. It’s one of the best tracks to drive, but overtaking? One of the toughest. Something has to be done.”
