Qatar added to 2021 F1 calendar as Gulf state secures 10-year deal to host races in nation from 2023
The Losail Worldwide Circuit will host the nation’s first ever F1 grand prix on November 19-21, which will probably be spherical 20 of this season’s 22 races within the 2021 championship.
“The step from the gesture to be useful to F1 in 2021 to a long run technique was quick and easy and the imaginative and prescient for F1 to be the showcase for Qatar after the FIFA World Cup in 2022 was the driving pressure behind this long run settlement.”
A race in Qatar means the ultimate three races of the 2021 season will probably be held throughout the Center East, with the Qatar GP adopted by the primary ever Saudi Arabian GP on December 3-5, with the season rounded off by the Abu Dhabi GP on December 10-12.
The Saudi Arabian race has raised uncomfortable questions for F1 relating to “sportswashing” — a phenomenon whereby corrupt or autocratic regimes put money into sports activities occasions to whitewash their worldwide fame.
“The fantastic thing about the game is that we have to discuss sport. In our tradition, the human rights are essential and essential to be adopted,” Domenicali mentioned.
“We imagine that with Method 1 within the nation, there is no scope or area to not assume the reality. We’re going to be facilitators, to anticipate the change that perhaps in a unique state of affairs would have taken an extended time.
“On the opposite facet, we can’t count on to change in a blink of an eye fixed, a change of a millennium, 1000’s of years of tradition in one thing.”
The Losail Worldwide Circuit has hosted MotoGP races since 2004, however has but to host a F1 race.
“The Qatar Motor & Bike Federation and Authorities have been unbelievable and have moved at nice velocity to make sure the race can happen this season on the Losail Circuit, well-known to many because the host of MotoGP.
“We’ve got proven that we are able to proceed to adapt and there may be large curiosity in our sport and the hope from many areas to have a Grand Prix.
“The large effort from all of the groups, F1 and the FIA has made it doable to ship a 22-race calendar, one thing that may be very spectacular throughout a difficult yr and one thing we are able to all be pleased with.”
With seven races left of the 2021 F1 season, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton leads Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen by two factors within the drivers’ championship.
