Lusail International Circuit
The Lusail International Circuit (Arabic: حلبة لوسيل الدولية, sometimes rendered Losail International Circuit) is a motor racing circuit located just outside the city of Lusail, north of Doha, Qatar.
The track is 5.419 km (3.367 mi) in length, with a main straight of 1.068 km (0.664 mi). It is surrounded by artificial grass intended to stop the sand encroaching on the track.
 Grand Prix Circuit (2023–present) | |
| Location | Lusail, Al Daayen, Qatar |
|---|---|
| Time zone | UTC+03:00 |
| Coordinates | 25°29′24″N 51°27′15″E / 25.49000°N 51.45417°E |
| Capacity | 52,000 |
| FIA Grade | 1 |
| Broke ground | 2003 |
| Opened | 30 September 2004 |
| Construction cost | US$58 million |
| Major events | Current: Formula One Qatar Grand Prix (2021, 2023–present) Grand Prix motorcycle racing Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix (2004–present) Doha motorcycle Grand Prix (2021) FIA World Endurance Championship Qatar 1812 km (2024) Former: World SBK (2005–2009, 2014–2019) WTCC Race of Qatar (2015–2017) Motocross World Championship (2013–2017) FIM EWC 8 Hours of Doha (2007–2012) GP2 Asia (2009) |
| Website | https://www.circuitlosail.com/ |
| Grand Prix Circuit (2023–present) | |
| Length | 5.419 km (3.367 miles) |
| Turns | 16 |
| Race lap record | 1:24.319 ( Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB19, 2023, F1) |
| Motorcycle Circuit (2004–present) | |
| Length | 5.380 km (3.343 miles) |
| Turns | 16 |
| Race lap record | 1:23.196 ( Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16B, 2021, F1) |
History
Built in just under a year by 1,000 workers at the cost of US$58 million, the track opened in 2004 and hosted the inaugural Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix in the same year, won by Sete Gibernau. In 2007, Lusail added permanent outdoor lighting for night races. At the time, the lighting of the Lusail Circuit by Musco Lighting was the largest permanent venue sports lighting project in the world, a distinction that now belongs to another Persian Gulf motorsport venue, Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. The first night race in MotoGP history was the 2008 Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix in March 2008.
In February 2009, a GP2 Asia Series nighttime race took place. The World SBK visited Lusail in 2005–2009 and 2014–2019; and the WTCC visited there in 2015–2017.
The circuit hosted the 20th race of the 2021 Formula One season, the inaugural edition of the Qatar Grand Prix. Before the second edition of the Grand Prix, the circuit was renovated, the facilities upgraded, and the capacity was increased from 8,000 to 52,000.
Beginning in 2024, the FIA World Endurance Championship is set to host its season opener at Lusail, the Qatar 1812 km, in addition to the Prologue, the championship's pre-season testing sessions.
Layout history
-
Grand Prix Circuit (2004–2022) -
Grand Prix Circuit (2023–present)
Events
Current
- March: Grand Prix motorcycle racing Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix, FIA World Endurance Championship Qatar 1812 km, Classic Endurance Racing, Asia Talent Cup, F4 Saudi Arabian Championship
- December: Formula One Qatar Grand Prix, FIA Formula 2 Championship, F1 Academy
Former
- Asia Road Racing Championship (2010–2015)
- FIM Endurance World Championship
- 8 Hours of Doha (2007–2012)
- GP2 Asia Series (2009)
- Grand Prix Masters (2006)
- Grand Prix motorcycle racing
- Doha motorcycle Grand Prix (2021)
- Motocross World Championship (2013–2017)
- MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship (2014)
- Porsche GT3 Middle East Championship (2012–2015)
- Speedcar Series (2009)
- Superbike World Championship (2005–2009, 2014–2019)
- World Touring Car Championship
- FIA WTCC Race of Qatar (2015–2017)
Lap records
The official lap record for the current circuit layout is 1:24.319, set by Max Verstappen driving for Red Bull Racing in the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix. As of March 2024, the fastest official race lap records at the Lusail International Circuit are listed as:
Racing history
Formula One
| Year | Winning driver | Winning team |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 |  Lewis Hamilton |  Mercedes |
| 2023 | Max Verstappen |  Red Bull Racing |
MotoGP
FIA World Endurance Championship
| Year | Hypercar Winners | LMGT3 Winners |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport |  No. 92 Manthey PureRxcing |
 Kévin Estre André Lotterer Laurens Vanthoor |  Alex Malykhin Joel Sturm Klaus Bachler |
Superbike World Championship
World Touring Car Championship
| Year | Race | Winning driver | Winning team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Race 1 |  José María López | Citroën Total WTCC |
| Race 2 | Yvan Muller | Citroën Total WTCC | |
| 2016 | Race 1 |  Gabriele Tarquini |  Lada Sport Rosneft |
| Race 2 |  Mehdi Bennani | Sébastien Loeb Racing | |
| 2017 | Race 1 | Tom Chilton | Sébastien Loeb Racing |
| Race 2 | Esteban Guerrieri |  Honda Racing Team JAS |
FIM Endurance World Championship
| Year | Manufactor | Winning team | Winning riders |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Suzuki | Suzuki Endurance Racing Team | Vincent Philippe Matthieu Lagrive |
| 2008 | Yamaha | Yamaha Austria Racing Team |  Igor Jerman Steve Martin Steve Plater |
| 2009 | Yamaha | Yamaha Austria Racing Team | Igor Jerman Steve Martin Gwen Giabbani |
| 2010 | Suzuki | Suzuki Endurance Racing Team | Vincent Philippe Sylvain Guintoli Freddy Foray |
| 2011 | Yamaha | GMT94 |  David Checa Kenny Foray Matthieu Lagrive |
| 2012 | BMW | BMW Motorrad France Thevent | Sebastien Gimbert Damian Cudlin Erwan Nigon |
Motocross World Championship
| Year | Race | MX1 | MX2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Race 1 | Clément Desalle | Jeffrey Herlings | |
| Race 2 | Tony Cairoli | Jeffrey Herlings | ||
| Year | Race | MXGP | MX2 | |
| 2014 | Race 1 | Maximilian Nagl | Dylan Ferrandis | |
| Race 2 | Gautier Paulin | Jeffrey Herlings | ||
| 2015 | Race 1 | Maximilian Nagl | Jeffrey Herlings | |
| Race 2 | Maximilian Nagl | Jeffrey Herlings | WMX | |
| 2016 | Race 1 | Tim Gajser | Jeffrey Herlings |  Courtney Duncan |
| Race 2 | Tim Gajser | Jeffrey Herlings | Courtney Duncan | |
| 2017 | Race 1 | Tony Cairoli |  Pauls Jonass | |
| Race 2 | Tony Cairoli | Pauls Jonass |
Speedcar Series
| Year | Race | Winning driver | Winning team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Race 1 | Gianni Morbidelli |  Palm Beach |
| Race 2 | Vitantonio Liuzzi |  Union Properties |
GP2 Asia
| Year | Race | Winning driver | Winning team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Race 1 | Nico Hülkenberg | ART Grand Prix |
| Race 2 |  Sergio Pérez | Barwa International Campos |
References
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