When the F1 stars arrive at the Lusail International Circuit for the Qatar Grand Prix later this week, it will have been seven months since the legends of the sport were last seen in the Middle East. F1’s devoted Asian fans will be drooling over the prospect of the most famous drivers on the planet returning to action in the region, especially as we’re in the midst of one of the most exhilarating seasons in recent history. The Drivers’ Championship is very much up for grabs and the result of the Qatar Grand Prix could prove vital in deciding who is crowned champion.
The thrilling 2025 F1 campaign took another fascinating twist in Las Vegas on Saturday. Max Verstappen maintained his resurgent form, claiming a fourth victory in the space of seven races. The Dutchman’s delight would turn into delirium a few hours later though, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri stripped of their race points, as both McLaren cars were reported as having excessive skid-block wear. The result means Norris' lead at the top of the F1 standings remains at 24 points. Behind him, Verstappen has moved level with Oscar Piastri in second spot.
Verstappen, the 2023 & 2024 Lusail winner, maybe rubbing his hands with glee, but so are Asian F1 fans, as for the second year in-a-row, the Qatar Grand Prix kicks off a sizzling season-ending double header. Following the Qatar action, the final race of 2025, the Abu Dhabi GP, takes place a week after, on December 7 at the Yas Marina Circuit.
The Qatar Grand Prix was held for the first time in November 2021 at the Lusail International Circuit. Due to the FIFA World Cup in 2022, it wouldn't return to the F1 schedule until 2023, but organisers did pen a deal to keep in place for at least 10 years. The race is one of four night races on the Formula One calendar (Abu Dhabi is too), which makes the spectacle even more thrilling, with the lights illuminating the track and the skyline.
Lusail stages a sprint weekend once again, the final one of the 2025 season. These unique weekends help ensure there are competitive track sessions for fans attending the event and watching on TV on all three days of the race weekend. To further add to the spectators’ excitement, there will be live music and performances during the weekend. This year, Seal and Metallica are the headline acts. Seal will perform on Friday night, while Metallica will be on stage after Sunday’s race. The F1 drivers will also be making various Main Stage appearances to give interviews across the race weekend.
Let GOAL give you all the important information you need ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix, including the full weekend schedule of events and how you can watch and stream all the action live.
How to watch the Qatar Grand Prix 2025
The Qatar Grand Prix will be available to watch live on Sky Sports F1 (and Main Event) in the UK, like all F1 race weekends are this year. Sky Sports’ coverage includes not only the main Sunday race itself, but also the practice, sprint qualifying, sprint and qualifying sessions on Friday and Saturday too.
If you're an existing Sky customer, you can add Sky Sports online or through the My Sky app at any time. The package starts from £20 per month with Sky Stream. Sky Sports+ is included at no extra cost, which allows the viewer the opportunity to watch many more live events across a range of sports. The Sky Sports app allows subscribers to download and watch live sport on the go and is available on iPhone, iPad, and Android. NOW TV offers a variety of sign-ups for the avid sports watcher, including the ‘Sports Day Membership, which allows access to all 12 Sky Sports channels for a 24-hour period for £14.99.
Where is the Qatar Grand Prix 2025 held?
The Lusail International Circuit is a motor racing circuit located just outside the city of Lusail, north of Doha, Qatar. The track is 5.4km in length, with a main straight that is 1km long. The track opened in 2004 and hosted the inaugural Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix in the same year. In 2007, permanent outdoor lighting was added, so the track could stage night races. The following year, the 2008 Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix became the first ever night race in MotoGP history.
The first edition of the F1 Qatar Grand Prix was staged in 2021. Prior to the second edition of the Grand Prix in 2023, the circuit was upgraded and the capacity was increased from 8,000 to 52,000. Lando Norris currently holds the Lusail lap record, after clocking 1:22.384 in his McLaren during the 2024 Grand Prix.
Qatar Grand Prix 2025 Weekend Schedule
Below, you can find the timings for each session (practice, sprint qualifying, sprint race and qualifying sessions, and the Grand Prix itself), as well as how you can watch/stream them:
| Date | Session | Time (GMT) | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, November 28 | Practice 1 | 1:30pm | Sky Sports |
| Friday, November 28 | Sprint Qualifying | 5:30pm | Sky Sports |
| Saturday, November 29 | Sprint | 2:00pm | Sky Sports |
| Saturday, November 29 | Qualifying | 6:00pm | Sky Sports |
| Sunday, November 30 | Grand Prix | 4:00pm | Sky Sports |
Can I watch the Qatar Grand Prix 2025 on F1 TV?
F1 TV is the over-the-top streaming package operated by Formula One Management (FOM), the provider of the world feed for F1 broadcasts throughout each season. The service offers commercial-free coverage of all races as part of a single package. Due to rights deals, F1 TV is limited to the countries it is allowed to operate. The service is not available in the United Kingdom, meaning fans hoping to use it would need a VPN to access it and watch the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix.
However, you can still purchase F1 TV in the UK to access bonus content, such as live timing, map, and leaderboard features, as well as access to team radios and other statistics. You can also view pre- and post-race shows with in-depth analysis and behind-the-scenes facts.
Can I watch the Qatar Grand Prix 2025 on demand?
If you have a Sky Sports F1 subscription, you can watch a re-run of the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix on demand after the race has finished through the channel’s digital and online options. The Sky Go app, for mobile devices and personal tablets, will allow viewers to watch the race in full, while those with a Sky+ subscription will also be able to record the race and catch it retroactively. Additionally, those with NOW TV will be able to effectively draw upon the Sky Sports F1 coverage, too, though their ability to access on-demand replay broadcasts will be limited due to the nature of the package.
How to watch the Qatar Grand Prix 2025 from anywhere with a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view the Qatar Grand Prix locally, you may need a different way to watch the race. That's where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on race day, by encrypting your traffic, and it's also a great idea if you're travelling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet, or laptop to get access to race action. Most VPNs, like ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this. We highly recommend using ExpressVPN, but you can also check out our detailed VPN guide for other options.
