Qatar will host a Formula One race in November for the primary time and for 10 years from 2023.
Qatar takes the remaining slot left clean on this yr’s reshuffle calendar. The race will start underneath floodlights on the Losail International Circuit on November 21 at 6 p.m. native time.
As of 20 races out of twenty-two this season, it is going to be adopted by the inaugural Saudi Arabia GP in Jeddah on 5 December and the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP on 12 December.
“There was a strong desire from Qatar to be helpful to F1, and during this process, the vision for a longer partnership was discussed and agreed,” F1 stated in an announcement on Thursday.
“The vision for F1 to be a showcase for Qatar after the (soccer) World Cup in 2022 was the driving force.”
There can be no race in Qatar subsequent yr due to the World Cup, so the 10-year deal will begin subsequent yr.
The 5.4-kilometre (3.4-mile) circuit, which has 8,000 followers, is north of Doha and has hosted the MotoGP collection since 2004.
It will not be but clear whether or not Losel will proceed to host F1 from 2023, because the circuit will must be modified, so there’s a robust risk that one other venue may very well be chosen. F1 solely stated it was underneath dialogue.
The modifications got here amid the federal government’s cancellation of the Japanese GP, scheduled for October 10, amid coronavirus considerations.
The Turkish GP, initially scheduled for 3 October, changed Japan.
Although the United States GP stays on 24 October, the Mexican GP moved from 31 October to 7 November and Brazil moved from that date to 14 November.
“We have shown that we can continue to adapt and there is great interest in our sport, and Grand Prix is ​​expected from many venues,” stated F1 president Stefano Domenicali.
“The enormous effort of all the teams, F1 and (governing body) FIA has made it possible to deliver a 22-race calendar, which is very impressive during a challenging year.”
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
