40-degree weather and stressed tyres: It's about to get heated for Qatar Grand Prix

Qatar returns to the Formula 1 calendar after hosting its first Grand Prix in 2021. The race was absent in 2022 as the country hosted the Soccer World Cup, but it returns to kickstart a ten-year deal this year.

In addition to Sunday's main race, the Sprint Race also returns. It will be the fourth of six Sprint Races this year, with the two Red Bull drivers, Max Verstappen (2) and Sergio Perez (1), sharing the wins in this format.

However, conditions may throw a spanner in the works and present a driver other than Red Bull's duo to reign supreme around the Lusail International Circuit - in both the Sprint Race and main Grand Prix.

Red Bull could get their setup wrong, like they did in Singapore. Though chances of it happening are slim, there is still a chance.

READ | 10-year deal to host F1 in Qatar kicks off, but country's laws still a touchy subject

According to early weather reports, maximum temperatures will peak at 41-degrees Celsius on Friday and drop to 38 on race day. For the race, which kicks off at 20:00 (19:00 SA time), temperatures will be a 'cool' 32-degrees Celsius.

Mario Isola, Pirelli's head of motorsport, said: "Just one hour of free practice will be available on Friday to determine the set-up and assess tyre behaviour over long runs.

"Furthermore, that session happens in the heat of the day - which will warm up the asphalt - as opposed to qualifying and the two races, which take place at night."

Tyre allocation

For this race, Pirelli opted to bring its next-hardest tyre allocation to the Grand Prix. The C1 white-walled tyre will act as the Hard tyre, with the C2 (yellow-walled) and C3 (red-walled) serving as the Medium and Soft, respectively.

Pirelli opted for this allocation, given the demands of the Lusail