Max Looks to Seal the Deal in Qatar

Verstappen Can Claim 3rd Driver's Championship in a Row This Weekend

Author

Matthew Bailey
October 06, 2023

PLP Season 1 Edition 2 🏁

It’s Race Weekend!

This weekend it’s round 18 of the Formula 1 season. The action returns to Qatar after a hiatus in 2022 due to the FIFA World Cup.

Quick Quiz: What year was the first Qatar Grand Prix held?

Find out below ⬇

Qatar Grand Prix Preview

Will Max lock up the Driver’s Championship this weekend? It’s basically inevitable barring disaster. Since this is a sprint weekend - Max can win the title on Saturday by finishing 6th or better. Overall, Perez would need to take 32pts out of Max’s lead, so… it sure looks like Max is about to 3-peat.

Andretti One Step Closer to F1 Bid

Michael Andretti via Sky Sports

The FIA approved Michael Andretti’s bid (from seven initial contenders) with Cadillac to bring an 11th team to the grid, which now has to be accepted by Formula 1 and the 10 existing teams. Typically tenured teams have little incentive to invite more competition, especially in a time when the sport is at peak popularity. However, the collective $200M anti-dilution fee to be split among the teams might sway some opinions. More the merrier, we always say.

Apple Considers An Offer for TV Rights

Apple is contemplating an offer of $2 Billion per year for F1 rights. The iPhone maker jumped into sports broadcasting with a 10 year $250M/per MLS deal last year and saw a subscriber bump thanks to Lionel Messi. If Tim Apple Cook and F1 ring a bell, you may remember his lackluster checkered flag wave at the US Grand Prix in Austin, TX last year. You KNOW Bezos would have shredded that thing.

Down the Grid

Max Verstappen: Title win scenario
Sergio Perez: Hoping for a “straightforward” weekend
Lewis Hamilton: Praises Max this season
Fernando Alonso: Endorses Andretti’s bid
Carlos Sainz: Smooth after Summer Break
Charles Leclerc: On the podium in every Sprint weekend so far this year
Lando Norris: Hasn’t checked the Driver’s standings since Round 1?
George Russell: Takes blame for Mercedes not locking up P2 yet
Oscar Piastri: Understands that Lando will get upgrades first
Lance Stroll: “We have to up our game”
Pierre Gasly: Thoughts during press conference
Esteban Ocon: Tough love from de Meo
Alexander Albon: Gets the giggles
Nico Hulkenberg: GP Q&A
Valtetteri Bottas: GP helmet
Zhou Guanyu: Thoughts on the circuit
Yuki Tsunoda: “Definitely made a step” with upgrades
Kevin Magnussen: Only one practice session “is a challenge”
Liam Lawson: Praise from Christian Horner
Logan Sargeant: It’s his seat to lose
Daniel Ricciardo: Back for US GP?

Constructor’s Corner

Red Bull: Has the team’s dominance led to a downswing from recent F1 popularity peak?
Mercedes: Toto welcomes a fight with Ferrari
Aston Martin: Trying to keep morale up as development suffers
Ferrari: GP Preview
Alpine: Profit in 2022
McLaren: Have a shot at the win this weekend?
Haas: Qatar preview
Alpha Romeo: James Key hopes to take the team a step forward
Williams: Qatar preview
AlphaTauri: Upgrades on the way [F1 unlocked subscribers only]

Tech Talk

Quiz Answer

The inaugural Qatar GP was in 2021, with Lewis Hamilton sitting atop the podium. This weekend is just the 2nd edition of F1 in Qatar, with a 10 year deal signed through 2032.