Formula 1: The 2023 Qatar GP is scheduled to happen on 8th October at the Losail International Circuit. The inaugural race here in 2021 was one of the glitziest races that season. Mercedes luminary Lewis Hamilton laid down the gauntlet to Max Verstappen and Red Bull with a second dominant victory. Consequently, he was able to slim the championship lead to Max which ultimately led the title fight down to the wire. Moreover, it was one of the fastest build circuit owing to the pressure of conducting the race after several covid-aided cancellations that year. Follow Formula 1 Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
After putting up a great show in 2021, Losail recently got a 10-year contract from the FIA. In 2022, the FIA and local authorities agreed on not including Qatar GP in the calendar owing to FIFA World Cup hosted by the Middle Eastern country. Though the World Cup was a highly successful campaign, it won’t be returning to the country for an indefinite time. Under these circumstances, the Annual F1 race has become a phenomenally important event for the local authorities and the masses.
Recently, Amro Al-Hamad, CEO of the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation and the Losail circuit opened up about the importance of continuity of the F1 race weekend contract. He even went up to the extent of comparing it to the world up. Considering the grandeur, glitz, and magnitude of the event, it is totally not an overstatement.
Losail Circuit to undergo major upgrades ahead of the Qatar GP
The Losail International Circuit is the fastest-built F1 circuit ever. Owing to the speed of its construction, the parts of circuit were lacking in terms of material needs. However, now that the race has a permanent presence on the f1 calendar, It was essential to make certain amends. The concerned local authorities did not shy away from this and indeed are making significant strides in that direction.
In a recent interview with autosport.com, Amro Al-Hamad discussed the major changes Losail Circuit has undergone over the last few months.
“We are the new World Cup for the next 10 years. The F1 paddock is state-of-the-art. We haven’t left any stone unturned. We’ve collected lots of lessons learned from other circuits around the world. The pit boxes are now suitable for F1 racing. We have 50 boxes. I don’t think that anybody else within the F1 calendar has that number of pit boxes,” said the CEO.
“The changes also reached the team buildings. It’s a complete change from what we had in the past. We used to have one tunnel. Now we have up to four tunnels to serve the entrance and the exit of the spectators.” he added.
Also Read- Monaco GP: First glimpse of Mercedes’ new upgrades – Check Pics
