Verstappen can join the ranks of F1's Saturday champions

Max Verstappen's third Formula One world championship could be sealed in a Saturday Sprint in Qatar, a rare turn of events for a sport more used to seeing its crowns secured on a Sunday.

It is not unprecedented, however.

Brazilian Nelson Piquet, a triple world champion in the 1980s and father of Verstappen's partner Kelly, won two of his titles on a Saturday and the other effectively on a Friday.

Argentina's Juan Manuel Fangio (Britain, 1955), Australian Jack Brabham (USA, 1959), Britain's Graham Hill (South Africa, 1962) and Finland's Keke Rosberg (Las Vegas, 1982) also won titles on a Saturday.

Piquet's first in 1981 came at the final round of the season in Las Vegas on Oct 17, a Saturday.

The second in 1983 was clinched at Kyalami in South Africa on Oct 15, another Saturday race.

The Brazilian was assured of the 1987 title in Japan when Williams team mate and championship rival Nigel Mansell, who would be champion in 1992, suffered a season-ending crash on the Friday at Suzuka.

Piquet ended up taking no points from the final two races in Japan and Australia but that no longer mattered once Mansell was sidelined.

The very first world championship grand prix at Silverstone in 1950 was held on a Saturday, in the presence of royalty, and the British Grand Prix continued to be held on that day of the week until 1977.

The last full-distance world championship race to be held on a Saturday was the South African Grand Prix of 1985, won by Mansell.

Saturday's 100km sprint in Qatar offers Verstappen a first chance to score the three points he needs to wrap up the championship.

Eight points go to the winner, down to one for the eighth-placed finisher.

If Verstappen, winner of two of the three sprints so far this season, finishes sixth on