Max Verstappen is expected to secure his third consecutive World Championship this weekend at the Qatar Grand Prix, and there is still plenty at stake across the board at the Lusail Circuit. The Dutchman needs just three points to retain the title, and he could even be triumphant before Sunday\u2019s big race gets underway.<\/p>\n
This weekend will see the return of the sprint race, meaning that Verstappen could earn himself a vital three points on Saturday to reign triumphant. The Red Bull star has made it no secret that he is no fan of the additional races though, despite the sprint presenting him with an opportunity to secure the 2023 title early.<\/p>\n
Speaking earlier this week, Verstappen claimed that the format \u2018takes a little bit of the excitement away\u2019, feeling that fans are unable to grasp the superiority of cars as the sprints make the situation \u2018unclear\u2019.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, Ferrari and McLaren still have plenty to play for in Qatar as they look to secure a second-place finish in the Constructor Championship, with Mercedes currently occupying the spot and 20 points clear of the field.<\/p>\n
Follow\u00a0<\/strong>Express Sport<\/b><\/em>‘s live updates below…<\/strong><\/p>\n Click here\u00a0to join our WhatsApp community to be the first to receive breaking and exclusive F1 news.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n Don’t miss… <\/strong> George Russell takes cheap shot at Max Verstappen by correcting F1 statement[LATEST] <\/strong><\/p>\n Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has insisted that Andretti-Cadillac joining the Formula 1 grid is not a good idea and has warned the FIA of the consequences.<\/p>\n The team\u2019s bid was approved by the FIA recently, though Andretti must now convince the sport\u2019s higher powers that they deserve to become the 11th team on the grid.<\/p>\n Speaking to F1-Insider.com, Marko has warned the sport of the consequences of green-lighting the change, explaining: \u201cAn eleventh team means that not only does each team have to give away more of the money pie, but also that the value of each individual team falls.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, nobody wants that. Most race tracks are maxed out in terms of space. Where are you supposed to put an additional team in the already very narrow pit lanes? In the paddock, you would probably have to reduce the size of the hospitalities. But the teams are not interested in that.\u201d<\/p>\n Fernando Alonso has named Max Versappen as the best Formula One driver since Michael Schumacher, despite Lewis Hamilton\u2019s success over the years.<\/p>\n The Dutchman is hoping to land his third title this weekend, and such success has seen him compared with several all-time greats \u2013 including seven-time championship winner Schumacher.<\/p>\n Asked whether the two can now be compared, Alonso said: \u201cWith Michael, yes. I’ve only been wheel to wheel with Michael.<\/p>\n “We have to wait and see. I think the next few years will be even better for Max, to be honest, he will keep adding championships. So we will compare to Michael even closer in the future.”<\/p>\n We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\nHelmut Marko sends FIA stern warning<\/h3>\n
Alonso makes Verstappen claim<\/h3>\n