© 2025 Getty ImagesRecap Of Our Weekend In QatarFirm handshakes, one and all, as we edge closer to the end of the 2025 season
Firmhandshakes,too,inourrecentCreatorProgramraceposter,courtesyof@illusbyaf.🤝
So if it wasn’t already clear, we’re in the Qatari desert for Round 23, at the Lusail International Circuit and ready to give it our all at the FORMULA 1 QATAR AIRWAYS QATAR GRAND PRIX 2025.
As is the norm around here, we’d first like to take you on a quick tour of what we’ve been up to during the weekend, including all of our Sprint Race antics too (the final Sprint of the season!).
So, where to begin?
Well, we wanted Isack and Liam to weigh in on the cat population of Qatar. Their responses are exactly as you’d expect. After all, it’s pretty time-consuming being the grid’s top social media stars. From blind catch challenges and ruining the social media team’s day, our boys were all over the paddock this weekend (no tripods were harmed during the making of these videos @ Pierre Gasly).
But VCARB admin, what about the track action? Relax, we’ve got that covered, too. With it being the final Sprint Race of the season, Isack and Liam headed out for the one and only Practice session of the weekend and finished P5 and P19, respectively.
Later that evening, for Sprint Quali, Liam’s best time would line him up in P17 for the 19-lap dash. He was less than one-tenth of a second from making it out of SQ1, too - the margins are whisper-thin this year. Isack finished SQ1 in P6 and advanced to the next session, where his fastest lap time unfortunately got deleted for track limits and he qualified P11. A real shame, but proof that the raw pace is there. Isack wasn’t too fazed, and felt confident going into Saturday’s Sprint.
Sunset City© 2025 Getty Images
Speaking of which, it was time to get our running shoes on for the final time this season: the Sprint Race beckoned. Isack gained two positions on the race start, with Charles Leclerc and Alex Albon running wide during the opening laps. On Lap 11, Liam was in a battle with Leclerc’s Ferrari when he was run off-track and handed the position back to avoid a time penalty. The end result was Isack in P9 and Liam in P14. Sadly, no points, but the biggest haul is always available on Sunday, so our focus quickly moved to Qualifying.
Liam and Isack sailed through Q1 and set strong times in Q2, but Liam missed out on Q3 promotion by less than one-tenth of a second. Isack went on to set a stellar lap time in Q3, lining up on the third row in P6. Liam weighed in on his Saturday and headed into Sunday feeling optimistic.
Special Effects Were Used In The Production Of This Image© 2025 Getty Images
Folks, then it was time for Race Dayyyyyy. This time with a twist, too. Because Qatar is such a fast and hot track, Pirelli and the FIA set a maximum 25-lap run time for each set of tyres, so strategy and timing had the potential to have a huge role in the outcome.
Isack and Liam lost a position each on the race start: Isack’s to Fernando Alonso and Liam’s to Alex Albon. On Lap 7, Nico Hülkenberg’s Sauber collided with the Alpine of Pierre Gasly at Turn 2, which brought out the Safety Car.The boys came into the pits for a rapid double stack - shout out to the pit crew for such speedy work. They both emerged with fresh Medium boots for the race restart on Lap 11.
Pretty soon, drivers were in tyre management mode, and a DRS train formed behind Fernando Alonso from P6 all the way back to his teammate, Lance Stroll, in P16. On Lap 32, Liam and Isack were back in the pits for the final mandatory pit stop, this time opting for Hard tyres. Alonso spun while under pressure from Isack, which promoted our Frenchman to P6. At this point, Liam had snuck into the points, too, and sat in a comfortable P10.
But there was absolute disaster with one lap to go: Isack picked up a front-left puncture and had to retire from the race. Devastating for Isack, who was on form and up at the sharp end all weekend. Liam crossed the finish line in P9 and added two more points to his and the VCARB Constructors’ Championship tallies. Points which are all the more important as we head into the final round of the season in a close battle with Aston Martin for P6 overall.
And He Emerges In To The Points© VLADIMIR RYS
Here’s Isack weighing in on a Grand Prix weekend of high highs and low lows: “It was just a very frustrating end of the race. When there were 10 laps left, I started to see the front left endplate vibrating a lot, so I tried my best to avoid the kerbs. Unfortunately, it broke, causing a puncture in the tyre and damaging the car, which led me to retire. It’s a shame as we lost out on many points today, and after a difficult start which I’ll review together with the team, it would have been a very good reward for us as a team after fighting for P6 the whole race.”
Liam said: “It’s positive to come away from the race with points after where we started. We had really strong pace when we were in clean air, but then spent the majority of the race in traffic. It’s a shame to not have both cars in the points today after the damage Isack experienced towards the end, however I’m looking forward to closing out the season in Abu Dhabi while we fight for our position in the Constructors’.”
There’s still a lot to play for as we head to the final race of 2025: Isack is fighting for P10 in the Championship, while Liam isn’t far off P12. Join us for one final time in 2025 for the FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX.
See you there. 🤝
