It looks like we might have picked up some damage on the front wing after the contact with Magnussen. Just to add to some more issues. But nice job, nice job today. ALEX to PIT Yeah, thank you everyone. I know it's been a bit tough but let's try and end with a good one.

Sorry, Alex. It was a little bit of a gamble to try and get us up there. Well done. It'll come, one more race.

Yeah, it was a nice try.

That's P15. That was a tough one at the end, but it was potential.

It's P15 for Alex in Qatar, he gave it a good go with a different strategy.

Box box - in to serve his 10-second penalty and fit fresh softs. Alex rejoins in P15.

Alex is struggling with his soft tyres now, time to just bring it home...

BOT is through this time, and NOR is a few corners later. Alex is now P12... and gets a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision (with MAG)

Alex and BOT going wheel-to-wheel around turn 1. Alex retains position. NOR fast approaching this battle as well...

MAG gets back through at T1, Alex back to P10 and is 1.9s ahead of BOT

Up to P9 as NOR serves his penalty...

NOR has been handed a 10-second stop-and-go penalty, which currently would drop him behind Alex...

We're racing, and Alex is into the top 10 as he passes MAG at Turn 1!

Safety Car in this lap...

VSC - PER has stopped before the SC came in and HUL in the gravel at the restart. Alex is P11 now and is the only car softs... Now a full Safety Car.

Safety Car in this lap with 18 laps to race - "it's going to be like a Sprint race here" Alex shares.

Alex is catching the back of the SC queue, cars coming through the pit lane to allow the main straight to be cleaned.

Ditching the mediums for fresh softs, Alex returns to the track in P13...

HAM and SAI suffer front left punctures, Safety Car deployed with Alex in P12...

Alex's right rear view mirror has checked out on the main straight. LAP 32/57 - P13

Tyres are looking good. Looking to extend by a reasonable amount now.

BOT pits ahead so Alex climbs to P14, he remains within DRS range of TSU...

TSU is now the driver in Alex's sights, some 1.2s up the road...

Looking at Plan A plus 8 now.

Alex currently 1.5s off of BOT and TSU, the RB is struggling.

There is zero deg.

You're sure everything's okay, yeah? PIT to ALEX From what we can see, if you can give me feedback from your side. I think that might be wind related, that last corner.

STR is handed a 10-second penalty for hitting Alex. Albono currently behind the Sauber duo who are being held up by ALO.

Alex avoids another T1 tangle which sends LAW down the order. Alex is running P15 with BOT ahead....

DRS enabled.

We're back racing in Qatar...

Alex stays out, thankfully it looks like he's avoided any major damage. Elsewhere at the start, HUL, OCO and COL all came together - Alex is the last Williams in the race.

I knew he was going to do it. I could tell.

Alex is hit by Stroll. He continues in P17, Safety Car is out.

We are racing in Qatar!

One tour of Lusail for Alex to get his tyres prepped... speaking of tyres, it's new mediums at the start for Albono.

The formation lap is imminent...

Alex his inside his FW46, final preparations are underway for the race...

Alex joins his 19 fellow drivers at the the front of the grid for the Qatari National Anthem.

Prove you were with us during the Qatar GP weekend, get your stamp below...

A few installation laps for Alex to complete before heading to his P16 grid spot...

It's almost time for Alex to hop in his car and head around to the grid here in Lusail...

Race day arrival 📍

Saturday complete 🇶🇦

What was that snap in the last corner?! That f****d me up.

Tsunoda pushes Albono out of the session in P16. Only 0.026s separated Q2 and Alex in Qatar.

Alex is in the Q2 positions for the moment. It'll be tight...

Okay, tyres are in good shape. Franco is about to be on the move, 5 seconds ahead. Let's give ourselves another second. Go, push.

Alex is circulating for a second lap to get his tyres in the window. It all comes down to one final lap.

Time to find the maximum. Alex is in P17 so needs to get a faster lap in to reach Q2.

A brief interruption for Albono as he circles back to the pits. He's in P15 as we hit the 7 minutes remaining mark.

Up to P12 now! A 1.22.481 gets Alex higher in the standings.

There's more speed in the car. Alex has the 17th fastest time of Q1 so far.

Alex's first attempt is a 1:22.873. Others are setting their laps now. We'll see where that gets him after all 20 times are in...

Okay, so fronts have improved. Sainz will be pushing. He's six seconds ahead. Go push.

We're a little bit further back, so it will be hard in laps.

Alex exits his garage to join the pit lane queue as the Q1 countdown begins.

Are you ready for Qualifying? Q1 begins in just 10 minutes.

Data Analysis with Alex 📸

Lusail under the lights 💡

Thanks, Alex. It sets us up well for qualifying this afternoon. I think a little bit of learning there.

Alex crosses the line in P15.

That's the start of Lap 19.

Three laps to go. Three to go.

Alex is now 1.5s away from Ocon and 1.6 ahead of Lawson. Ocon has slipped to 4.3s behind Stroll and has completely lost the tow.

More comms between the pit wall and car #23. The pace is still slower than Alex is capable of, but he's sticking close to Ocon despite the problems.

Alex also loses DRS from Ocon, now sitting 1.1s behind the Alpine. Lawson is behind, 1.6s away.

Ocon does not have DRS.

Alex and Ocon are on the edge of DRS as field spread begins spacing out the drivers.

ALEX: My push toggle doesn't work. PIT: I'll come back to you with some alternatives. ALEX: My pace is stuck, I'm just stuck. PIT: Yeah, copy that.

Alex is really pushing Ocon. He's 0.383s now and gaining with DRS, though the Frenchman is also within a second of Stroll ahead.

A scrambling opening lap sees Alex dropping three positions as drivers fight for position. He gets pushed wide by Ocon in the second sector and is chasing down the Alpine.

Alex begins today's first lap of Lusail.

Okay, in terms of tyres, it's somewhat uneventful. It's just Zhou in P18 on a new softs. Everybody else on a used mediums, with Colapinto on new mediums from the pit lane.

Suit up. Time to go 🇶🇦

In case you missed Friday's running, Albono took the car to SQ2. He lines up P12 for Sprint.

Are you ready for Saturday's first session? Sprint will begin in half an hour! Stay tuned all day, too, because Alex will tackle Qualifying later on a busy Saturday in Lusail.

Smile at the camera! 🇶🇦📸

Alex is out in SQ2, despite recording his best lap time in the final minutes. His time of 1:22.526 sees him finish in P12. We'll be back for tomorrow's Sprint, when Albono will look to climb into the points in Qatar!

"Go push..."

Albono posts a lap time of 1:22.797. He's currently in P8.

Alex heads out — it's medium tyres once again at this stage.

SQ2 is under way at the Lusail International Circuit!

Alex's finishes SQ1 in P15 after posting a best time of 1:22.705 on his final lap. He makes it through to SQ2.

AA23 beats his previous best time, completing a lap in 1:23.114. That leaves him in P9 as things stand.

"Go push..." There are five minutes to go in SQ1...

It’s a first lap time of 1:24.064 for Albono. He’s currently in P7.

Alex takes to the track in Lusail. Don’t forget that it’s medium tyres only in SQ1.

Sprint Quali has started!

Only five minutes until SQ1 gets under way in Qatar…

Set for Sprint Quali 🔜

Free Practice 1 comes to a close, with Alex’s best time of 1:23.161 putting him in P9. We’ll see you later today for Sprint Quali!

AA23 posts his best time of the day with just a couple of minutes of the session remaining — 1:23.161, which is currently good enough for P7.

"The wind is starting to drop..."

Albono climbs to P3 with a lap time of 1:23.465.

Alex has switched to a set of new soft tyres, for the final stages of FP1.

There’s 10 minutes of FP1 to go, as Alex’s FW46 returns to the track.

It’s another return to the pits for AA23.

Albono is currently gathering long run data for the team.

Alex returns to the Lusail International Circuit. He's still on the same hard tyres.

AA23 makes his first trip of the day to the garage.

Albono continues to improve, with a time of 1:24.532.

Alex's latest time is his best yet — 1:25.019.

It’s another top time for Alex, with 1:25.647 placing him in P6 as things stand.

"Go push..."

AA23 posts a new best lap time of 1:26.771, putting him into P5.

Albono’s first lap time comes in at 1:28.619. He's started the session on hard tyres.

Alex ventures out onto the track. Remember that this is the only hour of practice that AA23 will get this weekend...

We’re under way at the Lusail International Circuit!

There’s just five minutes to go until Free Practice 1 gets started…

Ready for action 👉

Hello from the Lusail International Circuit — and welcome to our Qatar Grand Prix live blog 👋 We'll be bringing you live coverage of Alex's progress across the weekend, starting with Free Practice 1 in 45 minutes time...