<p>This weekend in Qatar, the current leader Max Verstappen is in position to win the drivers’ world championship for a third time in a row and might become the first “Saturday champion” in Formula One in forty years.</p>
<p>After 16 rounds of the 22-race season, the 26-year-old Dutchman, who has won 13 races this year, is 177 points ahead of Sergio Perez, his Red Bull teammate and sole remaining title contender.<img decoding=”async” class=”alignnone wp-image-219354″ src=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/theindiaprint.com-bollywoods-rat-race-doesnt-bother-varun-dhawan-im-happy-where-i-am-verstappen-0510-750×394.png” alt=”theindiaprint.com bollywoods rat race doesnt bother varun dhawan im happy where i am verstappen 0510″ width=”1479″ height=”777″ srcset=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/theindiaprint.com-bollywoods-rat-race-doesnt-bother-varun-dhawan-im-happy-where-i-am-verstappen-0510-750×394.png 750w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/theindiaprint.com-bollywoods-rat-race-doesnt-bother-varun-dhawan-im-happy-where-i-am-verstappen-0510-1024×538.png 1024w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/theindiaprint.com-bollywoods-rat-race-doesnt-bother-varun-dhawan-im-happy-where-i-am-verstappen-0510-768×403.png 768w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/theindiaprint.com-bollywoods-rat-race-doesnt-bother-varun-dhawan-im-happy-where-i-am-verstappen-0510-150×79.png 150w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/theindiaprint.com-bollywoods-rat-race-doesnt-bother-varun-dhawan-im-happy-where-i-am-verstappen-0510.png 1200w” sizes=”(max-width: 1479px) 100vw, 1479px” title=”Max Verstappen Is Set To Win His Third Championship With A Rare Saturday Victory 6″></p>
<p>With this substantial cushion, he just needs three points to win again, and he has a good chance of doing it in the sprint on Saturday at the Lusail International Circuit.</p>
<p>Red Bull has won all three of the sprint races so far this season, with Perez claiming one and Verstappen taking two. Based on this record, it seems expected that Red Bull will once again be the favorite, having just been named constructors’ champions at the Japanese Grand Prix last month.</p>
<p>Verstappen seemed at ease as he commented, “It feels good to be heading into Qatar with the constructors’ championship secured.”</p>
<p>“The track in Qatar is extremely enjoyable to drive on, but this weekend will be challenging for all of us due to the extreme heat.</p>
<p>“The temps will be fascinating, particularly because we have a sprint race this weekend, so we need to take advantage of Friday practice to learn as much as we can in preparation for Saturday.</p>
<p>Our major goal is to win the drivers’ championship on Saturday, and we’re hoping it will be a weekend to remember.</p>
<p>Verstappen would become the first Saturday champion since Nelson Piquet, the Brazilian father of his girlfriend Kelly, won the second of his three championships in the 1983 South African Grand Prix, 40 years ago, if he wins the sprint again and secures the title.</p>
<p>Four other drivers—Juan Manuel Fangio (1955), Jack Brabham (1959), Graham Hill (1962), and Keke Rosberg (1982)—also won the championship on a Saturday.</p>
<p>Verstappen will be expected to maintain the form that helped him to 10 consecutive victories until he and Red Bull were defeated in Singapore in the middle of September, but rivals Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, and Aston Martin will be eager to make things challenging for him.</p>
<p>In particular, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton should excel at the track’s resurfaced surface where he won the only previous Qatar Grand Prix two years ago during a late-season run of form that almost led to him winning an eighth championship.</p>
<p>Liam Lawson, an Australian who performed well in Japan and earned two points, will take the place of Daniel Ricciardo at Alpha Tauri for the fifth straight race as the former Red Bull driver continues his injury recovery.</p>
