Lance Stroll: It's interesting to drive on the Qatar circuit.

      On the eve of the Qatar Grand Prix, Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll answered a few questions from the team's press office related to the round at the Losail circuit.

      Question: In just a few days you have to cross half the globe from Las Vegas to Qatar. How do you cope with such flights?

      Lance Stroll: Without a doubt, it's one of the toughest weeks of the year. In Vegas life is buzzing in every sense, so much happening on and off track, and in Qatar you quickly find yourself in a completely different environment. But that's part of modern Formula 1, and you learn to switch between modes. It also helps that we've done this route before last year, so we know what to expect.

      Actually, I added another stop to my itinerary, calling in at the team's base at the start of the week to work on the simulator and prepare the seat and helmet for 2026. A few days were busy, but I'm looking forward to getting back behind the wheel this weekend.

      Question: What makes the Qatar Grand Prix so challenging?

      Lance Stroll: The combination of speed and sustained load. There aren't many slow corners — mostly medium-speed and fast ones, one after another, with high lateral g-forces. We don't get a chance to catch our breath except on the start/finish straight.

      And the heat. Even though the race is at night, the cockpit still gets hot, and the tyres heat up quickly due to the heavy load.

      But it's a challenge you really look forward to. The track is fun to drive because it's very fast, and an F1 car shows its best in fast corners.

      Question: How do you prepare physically for the Qatar round?

      Lance Stroll: I work a lot on strengthening my core and training my neck because of the lateral loads. On this track the loads are felt more strongly than at many others. It's about a constant load rather than sudden spikes.

      Nutrition is also extremely important. You need to be mindful of that several days before the race weekend. We also have cooling vests that control body temperature if it gets too hot.

      I've become very used to this. Also, at this stage of the season you're in the best physical shape, so there won't be any problems.

      Question: What will the team focus on this weekend?

      Lance Stroll: In sprint weekends we have two opportunities to score points, so we'll do everything we can to take advantage of them. The battle in the Constructors' Championship is very tight, and one good result can help recover several positions. We want to finish as high as possible.

      Sprint weekends require cohesive teamwork. We're approaching the end of a long season, but everyone in the garage continues to give their all. I'm grateful to them for that.

      As for the track itself, the one in Qatar is very particular in terms of balance. You need a car that's effective on entry to mid-speed corners and remains stable on the high-speed sections.

      Because the weekend is in sprint format, we have just one practice session to find the optimal setup. We'll make every second count.