Grand Prix Circuit (2004–2022)
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 / 25.49000; 51.45417 |
| Capacity | 52,000 |
| FIA Grade | 1 |
| Broke ground | 2003 |
| Opened | 30 September 2004; 19 years ago (2004-09-30) |
| 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) |
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.
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.[1] 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 CircuitinAbu 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.[2] Before the second edition of the Grand Prix,[3] the circuit was renovated, the facilities upgraded, and the capacity was increased from 8,000 to 52,000.[4]
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.[5]
Lusail International Circuit layout history
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:
| Year | Winning driver | Winning team |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 |  Lewis Hamilton
|
 Mercedes
|
| 2023 | Max Verstappen
|
 Red Bull Racing
|
| 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
|
| 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
|
| 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
|
| Year | Race | Winning driver | Winning team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Race 1 | Gianni Morbidelli
|
 Palm Beach
|
| Race 2 | Vitantonio Liuzzi
|
 Union Properties
|
| Year | Race | Winning driver | Winning team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Race 1 | Nico Hülkenberg
|
ART Grand Prix
|
| Race 2 |  Sergio Pérez
|
 Barwa International Campos
|
