Qatar circuit to be prepared for F1

The Qatar motorsport authorities have confirmed that they are angling for a future grand prix date, and are preparing to bring the Losail circuit up to Formula 1 standards.

The 3.375-mile Losail International Circuit has been a MotoGP and World Superbike Championship venue for several years - and earlier this month it hosted the first ever floodlit MotoGP race.

Now the Qatar Motor and Motorcycling Federation wants to bring F1 to the track.

"We are planning a massive upgrade of the Losail circuit to make it possible to host Formula 1 races when the time comes,” QMMF president Nasser Khaifa al-Attiyah told the Gulf Times newspaper.

"We will be shortly inviting tenders for the job and once we decide on whom to award the contract, work will start soon."

Al-Attiyah acknowledged that with nearby Bahrain already on the F1 schedule and Abu Dhabi set to host a grand prix next year, it wouldn't be easy to get Qatar on to the calendar.

But he believes that Losail could become a useful venue for hot weather tests even if it has to wait some time for a GP date.

"You cannot say what’s going to happen in the future,” he said.

“Qatar is developing by leaps and bounds and the future is very exciting.

"Formula 1 teams can use the track for testing which will put Qatar on the map and also help us earn good revenue.

“Apart from the official testing teams also do a lot of private testing which is not open to outsiders and the Losail circuit can play a part in that."

Although mainly used as a motorcycle course, Losail hosted the now-defunct GP Masters series in 2006.

Officials believe that changes to the run-off areas would be necessary before it could be used by F1 machinery.

Source: itv-f1