The 2023 Qatar GP exposed the dark side of Formula 1. The sport in itself is a physically challenging affair. But the race at the Lusail International Circuit today exposed just how brutal it can get. Temperatures were at an alarmingly high rate today with 88 degrees at its peak. Naturally, it took a toll on the drivers. Esteban Ocon reportedly got so sick that he puked in the cockpit on the 15th lap of the race. Now, fans have seen enough and are demanding the FIA to cancel its $55,000,000 deal with Qatar to run the GP.
Since the chequered flag was waved after an intense 57-lap race, many reports have emerged that reveal the true extent of how bad the race was for the drivers. To top it all off, 3x champion and the race-winner, Max Verstappen even asked for a wheelchair in the cool-down room afterward.
The Qatar GP debuted on the F1 calendar back in 2021. However, it could not return to the calendar last year due to its commitments to FIFA for the World Cup. But the sport has penned a 10-year deal to run the GP.
Amid health concerns, the Qatar GP faces massive backlash from the fans
F1 drivers face enormous mental and physical stress during a Grand Prix. However, a lot of that is mitigated through the training they go through. But when you add the weather implications, it just crosses the threshold a human can take, no matter how fit they are. With the soaring temperatures, it was but obvious that the drivers were going to struggle.
F1 as a sport is alluring to the fans. And the commercial ramifications of the diverse calendar cannot be ignored. But there’s a limit. After the brutal aftermath of the race today, fans have had enough. On social media, F1 fans have been very vocal about how running the Qatar GP for the next nine years isn’t just worth it in the context of driver safety and health.
Post-race at the Lusail International Circuit wasn’t a pretty sight. And this has raised massive concerns amongst the fans who have called Formula 1 to out rightly cancel their deal to run the Qatar GP.
Formula 1 has a decision to make
Truth be told, the fans are not overreacting. Throughout the race, drivers made their troubles known. Logan Sargeant even had to retire mid race because it was just too much to take. And even the drivers who soldiered on to finish the race were struggling to even get out of their cars.
Alex Albon for example, was so exhausted that his mechanics had to rush to the scene to extract the British-Thai driver out of the car. On the other hand, Lance Stroll thought it best to jump right into the ambulance to get himself checked over at the medical center.
Even Yuki Tsunoda faced the brunt of Qatar’s nightmarish demands. During the race, the young Japanese driver opened his visor to let some air in to mitigate the heat. However, he got sand into his helmet instead. As things stand, F1 as a sport has a decision to make about the Qatar GP.
