The Qatar Grand Prix weekend kicked off with a unmistakably Manchester flavour, thanks to Sir David Beckham stepping into the spotlight once more—this time with Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville at his side.
The three were among the biggest names roaming the glowing Lusail International Circuit, joining a surprisingly star-packed crowd that stretched well beyond the football world.
A Celebrity Guest List Fit for a Championship Showdown
They weren’t alone in bringing star power.
Steven Gerrard also made the trip, Maya Jama added her usual camera-magnet presence, and Novak Djokovic—during a rare off-season lull—was spotted taking part in activities around the venue earlier in the week.
The Grand Prix was always expected to be big, but with more than 150,000 fans projected to attend over three days, the organisers leaned into the spectacle with extra events, hospitality, and nonstop celebrity traffic in the paddock.
From the Paddock to the Garage: More Football Royalty Appears
Gerrard was briefly seen slipping into the Red Bull garage, another dash of Premier League nostalgia for onlookers.
Ferdinand and Neville, both seasoned veterans of global sporting events, gladly mingled with guests as promoters showcased the expanded entertainment setup woven through the weekend.
Djokovic Drops In During a Breather From Tennis
Meanwhile, Djokovic—owner of 24 Grand Slam trophies—seemed to be enjoying the freedom of an off-season.
Clips online captured him taking part in circuit-side activities, a contrast to his usual tightly-scheduled tennis grind.
A Crucial Weekend for the Championship Drama
But beyond the star sightings, it was the title fight that truly shaped the evening.
Oscar Piastri snatched pole position after Lando Norris faltered at Turn Two during a tense Q3 littered with red-flag interruptions.
Norris later admitted he had to abandon his final push lap due to understeer, a moment he knew immediately would come back to haunt him.
Piastri Piles on Pressure in the Sprint
And the pressure didn’t ease. Piastri followed up by taking the sprint win on Saturday, shrinking the points gap and raising the stakes.
Norris still arrives on Sunday with a 22-point lead, but the margin suddenly feels slimmer after the double disqualification drama in Las Vegas, which tightened the entire championship picture.
The Norris Family Rides the Rollercoaster
Even Norris’ family was feeling the strain.
His father, Adam, admitted the track-limit deletions during Q2 had everyone on edge.
His mother, Cisca, coped in her own way—looking down at a book in the final minutes rather than watching the chaos unfold.
Still, they insisted afterwards that the numbers remain on Norris’ side, even if the nerves don’t.
Hamilton’s Struggles Continue
Lewis Hamilton, by contrast, endured another rough Saturday.
The seven-time world champion could only manage eighteenth in qualifying, unable to keep pace with Charles Leclerc as an already unpredictable season delivered yet another dip.
A Concert to Close Out the Weekend
Once the chequered flag drops, the spectacle isn’t over.
The organisers have lined up a post-race Metallica concert as part of the Lusail Live programme—a loud finale for fans before everyone packs up for the championship’s closing chapter.
One Last Battle Awaits
And then it all comes down to Abu Dhabi next weekend, where the season’s final twist awaits.
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