Kevin Magnussen says the Qatar Grand Prix is likely to be the hardest race of the year due to the nature of the circuit and potential weather conditions.
Last year was Formula 1’s second visit to race in Qatar, but the first time with the new generation of cars. The high-speed circuit is already a physical challenge but racing in October made for high temperatures and humidity that led to a number of drivers struggling to complete the race. This year the temperatures are set to be lower, but Magnussen says the schedule and track layout combine to really test the drivers.
“Qatar is the hardest race of the year, probably,” Magnussen said. “It’s super high-speed, and unique in the sense that it’s more like a motorbike track rather than a Formula 1 track. It’s got a very particular flow to it — you’re never really braking in a straight line, you’re more kind of sailing.
“It’s the final Sprint of the year, so that’s always another thing to think about, and the time zone change is going to be a challenge. Last year it was the opposite way around — we went from Qatar to America — and honestly it’s hard to figure it all out as it’s pretty hard to adjust. You can’t find a way around it, it just takes time, so we’re going to be jet-lagged!”
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Nico Hulkenberg’s performance coach Martin Poole admits there is little that can be done about the significant time zone swing, with the race at Lusail starting at 7pm local time — the equivalent of 8am at the last race venue in Las Vegas.
“Qatar is one of the most physically demanding tracks we visit,” Poole said. “The ambient temperature is very hot, which we saw last year, but as we’re returning a few weeks later hopefully it will be a bit cooler. It’s still going to pose a big physical challenge for the drivers; it’s physical anyway, but with the heat it’s very difficult.
“It’s going to be very important to stay very well hydrated and we’ll be using all the cooling methods that we have available to us, such as the traditional ice bath, iced towels, making sure he’s drinking lots of cool drinks and staying out of the heat whenever possible.
“Moving from Vegas to Qatar timing-wise will be difficult — there’s no easy way to do it so we’ll do the best job we can to get into a good sleep pattern as soon as we get to Qatar. Nico’s quite good at sleeping well and finding time in the day to nap if he needs to, so I’m sure we’ll get through it.”