The Losail International Circuit, Qatar, will be hosting its first Formula 1 Grand Prix between 19th to 21st November this year.
The country is set to be the host to the season’s 20th event and has signed a 10-year-long deal for hosting the F1, starting from 2023. The title sponsor for this event will be the international communications company, Ooredoo.
Since this race has been included on the F1 calendar, it means that there will be a Middle Eastern ending of three parts to this season. The race organized in Qatar will be followed by the South Arabian Grand Prix organized between 3rd to 5th December. The season will end with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix organized from December 10th to 12th.
The Qatari circuit has been mostly known for its association with two-wheeled racing. Since 2004, Losail has been the host of the MotoGP series. According to a statement released by F1, Qatar was interested in helping F1, and they have already discussed a longer deal and agreed to 10 years. These discussions regarding the Grand Prix location from 2023 will be continued, and the details will be provided later.
What does F1 have to say?
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of F1, spoke about the inclusion of Qatar in the 2021 F1 calendar. He applauded the efforts made by the Qatari authorities and the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) in arranging the Grand Prix at such short notice.
The F1 is excited to welcome the country to their F1 calendar and for the longer partnership after 2023. Both the authorities and the QMMF have been incredibly supportive and moved everything so quickly to make sure that the race was organized at the Losail circuit this season.
He further added that the company has continued to show that it can adapt. The interest in their sport is continuously increasing, and many locations are hopeful to be the host to the Grand Prix. All the efforts from the teams, the FIA, and the F1 have been successful in ensuring that the organization has a 22-race F1 calendar this season. This is even more impressive given the year we have had, and they consider it to be something that they are proud of.
An achievement for Qatar
Qatar’s long-term commitment to F1 and being the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and other international events is a testament to their strong passion for sports like football, and motorsports. In fact, many game developers have been inspired by the increased popularity of Formula 1 and are using F1 as an inspiration for creating new games that can be enjoyed by fans on an online casino.
As per the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation’s President, Abdulrahman Al-Mannai, this deal has been a great achievement for Qatar Motorsport as the country is a host to one of the biggest sporting events. He further said that his federation is proud to be able to provide support to F1 by hosting the race in their country in such a small amount of time.
They have also managed to secure a deal of 10 years with F1. Thanks to this long-term agreement, Qatar is now home to Formula 1 as well as MotoGP for the upcoming ten years. Both of these are pinnacle events in the field of global motorsports.
According to Abdulrahman Al-Mannai, QMMF has a proud history of motorsports, and this new deal is an exciting chapter for them. Qatar will soon become a popular destination for Formula 1 that welcomes all the teams, drivers, fans, and media.
FIA congratulates Formula 1 and Qatar
The President of FIA, Jean Todt, congratulated Formula 1, the Qatari Authorities, and the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation for their tireless work in making the Grand Prix happen in Qatar efficiently and quickly, despite the difficult times.
The FIA has been closely working with the Losail International Circuit to ensure that they are ready for this occasion and collective achievement. He also thanked the Minister of Culture and Sports, His Excellency Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali and Abdulrahman Al-Mannai, QMMF President, for their efforts.