Qatar GP – History, MotoGP, promotion formulas… Everything you need to know about the Losail circuit

For the first time in its history, the Losail International Circuit will host the Formula 1 this weekend, during the Qatar Grand Prix. The small Gulf state replaces on the calendar the Australian Grand Prix, canceled this summer, and signed a ten-year contract to welcome F1 to its territory. History, MotoGP, promotional formulas… Discover everything there is to know about the Losail circuit.

À Read also: the Qatar Grand Prix program

À Read also: What to expect at the Qatar Grand Prix?

💥Grand Prix weekend!

Who says Grand Prix says presentation of the circuit. From this afternoon, the Losail circuit will be the Formula 1 playground.#F1 #Formula 1 #QatarGP pic.twitter.com/kWtOE5PuZu

- AUTOhebdo (@autohebdo) November 18, 2021

Read also: QUIZ – Before Qatar, do you know all the circuits in F1 history?

The track, the result of a $58 million investment by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation, was inaugurated in 2004. Sixteen bends, mostly fast, and a one-kilometer straight make up this 5,4-kilometer track. . Losail is the only track in the region to benefit from FIA and FIM approvals. The circuit is also mainly used for motorcycle competitions. Since October 2, 2004, and a victory for the Spaniard Sete Gibernau, Losail has hosted a round of the MotoGP world championship each year. In 2021, Qatar even hosted two meetings. fabio quartararo won the second, on April 4. Since 2008, the route has been accompanied by a lighting system allowing it to organize races at night. This will also be the case this weekend with the start of the race scheduled for 17 p.m. local time.

Fabio Quartararo won the Doha Grand Prix this season. DPPI

And the cars in all this? The first automobile event to take place at Losail was the Masters Grand Prix, a single-seater championship reserved for former F1 drivers. On April 29, 2006, Nigel Mansell, F1 world champion in 1992, won ahead of Christian Danner and Eric van de Poele.

Single seat always. A round of the GP2 Asia Series took place there from February 14 to 15, 2009. The event was marked by a major pileup caused by Sakon Yamamoto stalling on the grid. A glance at the starting grid also reveals other names known to Formula 1 fans: Giedo van der Garde, Jérôme d'Ambrosio, Kamui Kobayashi, Vitaly Petrov, Nico Hulkenberg and… Sergio Pérez. The Mexican is, with Nikita mazepin, the only driver on the 2021 grid to have ridden at Losail. In 2014, the Russian competed in several Challenge MRF events there, a promotion formula taking place in Asia. The record for the fastest lap of the Losail circuit belongs to Davide Rigon, on the Dallara GP2/08, in 1'38"699. There is no doubt that the 2021 vintage will explode this performance...