30th September, 2021
Qatar will host its inaugural Grand Prix on November 21, replacing the axed Australian Grand Prix, Formula One has confirmed.
The race will hold at the 3.4-mile Losail International Circuit in Doha.
In addition, Qatar will commence a 10-year deal from 2023, after hosting FIFA World Cup in 2022, with the aim to have a bespoke track ready by then.
Telecommunications company Ooredoo will pose as the Grand Prix’s title sponsor.
F1 had been targeting a record 23 races but due to a number of cancellations have accepted a revised calendar of 22 races, which will see the season finish with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi.
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of F1, said in a statement: ‘We are very pleased to welcome Qatar to the Formula 1 calendar this season and for the longer term from 2023.
“The Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation and Authorities have been incredible and have moved at great speed to ensure the race can take place this season at the Losail Circuit, famous to many as the host of MotoGP.’
‘We have shown that we can continue to adapt and there is huge interest in our sport and the hope from many locations to have a Grand Prix.
‘The huge effort from all the teams, F1 and the FIA has made it possible to deliver a 22 race calendar, something that is very impressive during a challenging year and something we can all be proud of.’
Abdulrahman Al-Mannai, President of Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation, added: ‘This is a very special day for Qatar Motorsport and our nation’s ambitions as a host of major sporting events.
‘I’m very proud that we’ve been able to support Formula 1 by stepping in and hosting a race in our country in such a short time frame, while also securing a ground-breaking long term deal with F1.’
‘This exciting agreement means that Qatar will be the home of both Formula 1 and MotoGP for the next decade, which are the pinnacle events in global motorsport. We have a proud motorsport history and this is the next chapter for us. Qatar will be a great destination for F1 and we look forward to welcoming all the drivers, teams, media and fans very soon.’