Qatar Grand Prix Preview | All eyes on the Sprint with Verstappen

It does not happen often in Formula 1, but it is likely that the focus of the upcoming weekend will not be on Sunday's Grand Prix. Indeed, Saturday's Sprint is expected to bring the final decision in the world championship. That doesn't take away from the fact that an interesting Sunday awaits with the second Qatar Grand Prix, as there is plenty of excitement left behind Verstappen.

There are all sorts of scenarios for next Saturday, but the shortest one is: if he finishes sixth or better in the Sprint, Max Verstappen will be the F1 World Champion for the third time. Nobody actually doubts that the Dutchman will finish among the top six unless he suddenly suffers bad luck or an accident with his Red Bull. Indeed, the circuit in Qatar, with its medium and high-speed corners, would in principle suit the RB19 perfectly again.

Perez fighting for spot two

Naturally, Verstappen is the big favourite for Saturday, as he is for the day after. Team-mate Sergio Perez - who has long since put the title out of his mind - has his sights mainly on second place in the championship. Even with an inferior qualifying - still his weak point - Perez should have no trouble making his way to the front. With the DRS zone, the straight is long enough to make successful overtakes, and the Honda engine in Verstappen and Perez's car is the strongest of them all.

Mercedes was the best at the first and only Qatar GP two years ago, but times have changed. A win by any team other than Red Bull Racing would be a surprise. Mercedes' main focus will be the battle with Ferrari. Both teams want to finish second among constructors and that exciting battle will also continue in the expected blood-hot Qatar. Who is going to have the advantage? It's hard to say: Mercedes is the most consistent, but Ferrari has the momentum to grab.

Will McLaren catch up with Aston Martin?

Equally exciting is the battle between McLaren and Aston Martin. The latter started the season fantastically, but in terms of updates, Fernando Alonso's team lags far behind the team from Woking. By the week, the McLaren of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri seems to be improving and meanwhile, Aston Martin is relatively within reach in the constructors' standings. The difference between the two teams is now 49 points, and given the way McLaren has been performing of late, that is a bridgeable margin. Looking at the form of recent weeks, McLaren should also finish above Aston Martin in Qatar.

Basically, the Qatar race will also be the last chance to see Liam Lawson at work. Daniel Ricciardo is currently recovering from his hand fracture and will be back in action the following Grand Prix in America. How does Lawson say goodbye (for now)? Does he manage to outsmart Yuki Tsunoda again?

All in all, interesting storylines to expect in Qatar, but the focus is of course on Max Verstappen. It will probably be his weekend, the moment the Dutchman gets to celebrate another championship.