There has been at least one Safety Car or VSC period in every running of the Qatar Grand Prix to date. Here’s a list of every time that the Safety Car has been deployed to date at the Qatar Grand Prix.
2021 Qatar Grand Prix, Lap 55, VSC
The Virtual Safety Car was called in the closing stages of the inaugural race at Lusail Circuit. On Lap 55, Nicholas Latifi’s Williams came to a halt. The VSC was called for around two laps while his car was cleared away.
2023 Qatar Sprint, Lap 1, Safety Car
The first Sprint race at Lusail Circuit began in dramatic fashion, with Liam Lawson spinning out through the gravel trap in the opening corners. The Safety Car was utilised whilst the AlphaTauri was cleared from the gravel trap.
2023 Qatar Sprint, Lap 3, Safety Car
After under a lap of racing, the Safety Car was called once more on the third lap of the F1 Sprint at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix. Logan Sargeant became the second driver to spin out of the race. With his Williams car beached in the gravel trap at Turn 9, the Safety Car was called whilst it was cleared away. The Safety Car period came to an end at the beginning of Lap 7.
2023 Qatar Sprint, Lap 11, Safety Car
The third Safety Car in 11 laps was called on Lap 11 of the first F1 Sprint at Lusail Circuit. A collision between three drivers – Nico Hulkenberg, Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon – saw the latter two stuck in the gravel, necessitating another Safety Car period. With Perez out of the race, his team-mate Max Verstappen’s status as a three-time World Champion was confirmed.
2023 Qatar Grand Prix, Lap 1
After a Safety Car-strewn Sprint, there was only a single Safety Car period during the Grand Prix itself. It was caused by a Turn 1 incident between Mercedes team-mates George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. The collision put Hamilton out of the race and saw Russell drop to the back of the field. The Safety Car period lasted three laps, with racing getting back underway as Lap 5 began.
2024 Qatar Grand Prix, Lap 1, Safety Car
For the second year in a row, the Safety Car was out on the opening lap at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. A Turn 1 incident between Nico Hulkenberg, Esteban Ocon and Franco Colapinto saw the latter two drivers eliminated from the race. The Safety Car returned to the pit lane at the end of Lap 4.
2024 Qatar Grand Prix, Lap 35, Safety Car
Alex Albon lost one of his wing mirrors on the main straight. The mirror was not cleared away before being hit by Valtteri Bottas’ Sauber, leaving debris strewn across the track. Moments later, both Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz had picked up punctures. The Safety Car was called, which led drivers through the pit lane as the debris was cleared away. Racing resumed at the start of Lap 40, but there was further trouble…
2024 Qatar Grand Prix, Lap 40, VSC > Safety Car
As the previous Safety Car period was ending, Sergio Perez spun out of his own accord and was unable to get moving. Further around the lap, Nico Hulkenberg – who had survived the earlier scrape with Ocon and Colapinto – spun out into the gravel. Racing resumed on Lap 43.
VSC board graphic: Pitlane02, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
