Formula One is making its debut in Qatar – the 36th country to stage the top motorsport event. After the eventful practice and qualifying days at the fast-flowing Losail International Circuit, stage is set for a thrilling Ooredoo Qatar Grand Prix 2021 showdown, today.
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton produced a stunning speed on his Mercedes under the floodlights to take pole position after the qualifying yesterday, beating championship leader Max Verstappen of the Red Bull. Both the title rivals qualified 1-2 to set up a blockbuster race.
Hosting global sports events is not new for Qatar, known as world’s sports hub as the country has been home to many top-notch events, including the Asian Games 2006, World Men’s Handball Championship, the AFC Asian Cup, World Gymnastics Championships and various athletic events including the World Championships and the Diamond League meets. The F1 event is yet another great addition to country’s rich history of organising mega sports events.
Drivers have given thumbs up to the Losail International Circuit, hosting the MotoGP races since 2004. “This track is amazing to drive, it’s incredibly fast, all medium and high-speed corners. It felt good,” Hamilton said after qualifying. The teams and drivers are competing today after the eventful Sao Paulo Grand Prix last weekend, which saw Hamilton – bidding for his record-breaking eighth title – reducing Verstappen’s lead to 14 points. Both the opening days have witnessed huge number of spectators, which is a testament to the huge appeal of the popular sport in the country.
“We are excited to see such a record number of fans at a motorsport event in Qatar. Qatar is ready to host the first ever F1 race in front of a capacity crowd. We will have completely full grandstands,” said the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) President Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai. “We have been hosting motor racing events at the LCSC for many years but this weekend’s event will go down in history as the one with the biggest turnout. I am sure the fans will enjoy what should be a spectacular weekend of practice sessions,” he added.
Not just the fans, teams and drivers would also take back a lot of memories from the first Formula One event in Qatar, which is hosting the event successfully. The event will return in 2023 after a year’s gap due to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as the country is scheduled to host the event for 10 more years from 2023 to 2032 following a deal between QMMF and F1.Qatar is gearing up to become an important venue for the motorsports as the QMMF is looking forward to hosting other major motorsport championships in the country in the future.
