Revving Up for More Motorsports Events in Qatar!

By Sarah Palmer

Lusail International Circuit lies on the outskirts of Doha. The track and complex took just over a year to build, cost USD58 mn and had almost 1,000 staff working around the clock to get it ready for the inaugural event, the Marlboro Grand Prix of Qatar on 2 October 2004.

The 5.4 km track is surrounded by artificial grass to prevent sand from the desert from blowing onto the circuit. The main straight is over 1 km long giving overtaking opportunities at Turn 1, and there are a number of medium and high-speed corners, including some popular quick left-handers. The first night time Grand Prix in history took place in 2008, thanks to the construction of permanent outdoor lighting. This was such a success that the Qatar event is now one of the most spectacular on the MotoGP calendar.

But it isn’t just MotoGP that Qatar is now known for. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sporting events were cancelled, leaving a gap in the FIA Formula One World Championship (F1) 2021 season. Qatar quickly stepped in to assist and hosted its first F1 race, the Qatar Grand Prix, on 21 November, in place of the cancelled Australian Grand Prix. The country subsequently signed a 10-year deal with F1 to start in 2023, with 2022 skipped to avoid any clash with the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM. The initial F1 event saw some issues arise, namely the small pit garages that were designed for MotoGP, as well as the need to erect temporary team hospitality buildings in the paddock. Therefore the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) were tasked with implementing the Lusail Circuit Upgrade Project as part of the country’s preparations to host future Qatar Grand Prix F1 events.

There are now new grandstands to accommodate 40,000+ spectators, increased parking slots, an entirely new pits and paddock complex, medical centre, race control, media centre and expanded fan zones. In addition the surrounding and internal roads have been redeveloped. As part of the upgrade, the circuit has been resurfaced but there have been no changes to the layout.

According to formula1.com, for the best place to watch races ‘the grandstand at the exit of Turn 10 gives fans the chance to watch the cars blasting through this dynamic section of the track, pitching right through the fast kink of Turn 9 and into the Turn 10 braking zone.’

Qatar Airways is the global partner and official airline of F1 through to the 2027 season and title sponsor for both the F1 Qatar Grand Prix and Qatar MotoGP.

Motorsport events zooming its way here

Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2023 The extravaganza that is Formula 1 will be coming to Qatar 6 – 8 October 2023. The weekend will begin with Practice 1 and qualifying on the 6th, the sprint shootout and sprint race session on the 7th, and the race on the 8th – lights out is expected to be at 8 pm local time (GMT +3).

Tickets can be purchased online at lcsc.qa, with a number of options available, including general admission, grandstand seats and hospitality packages for single days or for all three days. A full schedule of events and activities will continue to be released.

The 2024 calendar of the F1 World Championship will consist of 24 rounds. The Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix will be the 23rd and penultimate round of the season, and will take place 29 November to 1 December 2024. lcsc.qa, formula1.com

Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS Qatar) Coinciding with the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix is the inaugural GIMS Qatar. This 10-day event will take place 5 – 14 October and is a first-of-its-kind motor show, based on the original Geneva International Motor Show. Visitors will be able to view the latest designs, new technology and exclusive reveals at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre in Al Dafna – everything from luxury to sports and classics.

Also on offer is a preview of the new Qatar Auto Museum, designed by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), led by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Rem Koolhaas. The museum will be located along the Lusail Expressway between the 5/6 Park and Katara Cultural Village. Visit A Sneak Peek at Qatar Auto Museum at the National Museum of Qatar until 20 January 2024 to explore the past, present and future of the automobile, as well as Qatar’s investment in the automotive industry and global automotive events.

There will be the chance to get up closer to cars, as QIMS Qatar will be offering test drives and hot laps at Lusail International Circuit. genevamotorshow.com/qatar-2023

Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar Qatar hosts the penultimate race of the 2023 MotoGP season on 17 – 19 November. Qatar had opened the MotoGP™ Championship for the last 16 seasons, but the event was pushed back in the 2023 season due to the renovations.

As well as MotoGP are the Moto2 and Moto3 categories. Practice sessions will be on the 17th, and practice and qualifying on the 18th. The races will be on the 19th: Moto3 at 5 pm, Moto2 at 6:15 pm, and MotoGP at 8 pm (all local time, GMT +3).

For the 2024 season, Qatar will host the second and final test 19 – 20 February, and MotoGP™ will return to Qatar’s floodlights for the first event of the season on 8 – 10 March. lcsc.qa, motogp.com

FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Lusail International Circuit will see a new event in 2024, in a deal lasting until at least 2029. The race, Qatar 1812, will be the season opener on 2 March 2024, over a distance of 1,812 km or a maximum duration of 10 hours. The event will be a landmark moment as there will be a record number of manufacturers in the WEC’s Hypercar category. The WEC’s official pre-season test, known as The Prologue, will take place on 24 – 25 February. fiawec.com