F1 race time: What time is the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix, how long will the race last?

UPDATE: We have two huge grid penalties heading into race day. Max Verstappen has received a five-grid penalty for failing to slow for double-waved yellow flags in qualifying. Valtteri Bottas has received a three-place grid penalty for failing to slow for single yellow flags. Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso move into the second and third positions, respectively, and Sainz moves into the fifth spot.

Formula One is in Qatar this weekend for the latest race, and an inaugural one in the region. The Qatar Grand Prix airs Sunday at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN2 and will be available via live stream at WatchESPN.

This is the first time the race has run, added in after COVID-19 resulted in the cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix. The Qatar Grand Prix will become a permanent F1 fixture in 2023 at a new track, but for this year we get to see it run at the Losail International Circuit just north of the capital city of Doha.

The race runs 57 laps at the Qatari track. The course is 5.380 km (3.343 mi) in length, which makes for a total race length of 306.660 km (190.549 mi). We don’t have previous race times since this is the first running of the race. For length comparison, last week’s Brazilian Grand Prix ran across 305.879 km (190.064 mi) of track. It was 71 laps due to a shorter track. Lewis Hamilton won the race with a time of 1:32:22.851.

Hamilton is a heavy favorite to win on Sunday at DraftKings Sportsbook. He is installed at -300, with Max Verstappen second with +330 odds. Valtteri Bottas is third at +650.