P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Verstappen heads sole dusty and windy Qatar practice
Qatar’s previous round in the Formula 1 championship took place in 2021 as a replacement for the canceled Australian event. They have now signed a 10-year deal and Lusail remains the host circuit, undergoing significant renovations including a resurfacing of the track and rebuilding of the pits. The sole practice session on Friday was challenging due to gusty and dusty conditions, with Verstappen and Sainz leading the way. Verstappen set the fastest time, followed by Sainz and Leclerc in second and third respectively. The session was four seconds slower than the previous year. Alonso, Perez, Tsunoda, Hulkenberg, Russell, and Piastri completed the top 10. Teams and drivers will now finalize their set-ups for qualifying and F1 Sprint, which will take place at 20:00 local time.
Source: Motorsport Week
