Lusail International Circuit

Lusail International Circuit
	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; 19 years ago
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.

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.^[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 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.^[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]

Layout history

Lusail International Circuit layout history

Grand Prix Circuit (2004–2022)
Grand Prix Circuit (2023–present)

Events

Current

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:

Category	Time	Driver	Vehicle	Event
Grand Prix Circuit: 5.419 km (2023–present)
Formula One	1:24.319^[6]	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing RB19	2023 Qatar Grand Prix
LMDh	1:39.748^[7]	Matt Campbell	Porsche 963	2024 Qatar 1812 km
LMH	1:41.441^[7]	Jean-Éric Vergne	Peugeot 9X8	2024 Qatar 1812 km
GT3	1:53.529^[7]	Alessio Rovera	Ferrari 296 GT3	2024 Qatar 1812 km
Formula 4	1:58.374^[8]	Federico Al Rifai	Tatuus F4-T421	2024 Lusail F4 Saudi Arabian Championship round
Group 5	2:04.087^[9]	Kyle Tilley	Chevron B27S	2024 Lusail Classic Endurance Racing round
Touring car racing	2:19.449^[10]	Abdulla Ali Alkhelaifi	Honda S2000	2024 1st Qatar Touring Car Championship round
Motorcycle Circuit: 5.380 km (2004–present)
Formula One	1:23.196^[11]	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing RB16B	2021 Qatar Grand Prix
GP2 Asia	1:38.699^[12]	Davide Rigon	Dallara GP2/05	2009 Qatar GP2 Asia Series round
GP Masters	1:49.116^[13]	Pierluigi Martini	Delta Motorsport GP Masters car	2006 Losail Grand Prix Masters
MotoGP	1:52.657	Pedro Acosta	KTM RC16	2024 Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix
World SBK	1:56.687^[14]	Jonathan Rea	Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR	2019 Losail World SBK round
Moto2	1:57.366	Sam Lowes	Kalex Moto2	2023 Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix
250cc	1:59.379	Alex Debón	Aprilia RSV 250	2008 Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix
MRF Challenge	1:59.519^[15]	Toby Sowery	Dallara Formulino Pro	2014 Losail MRF Challenge round
Porsche Carrera Cup	2:00.322^[16]	Clemens Schmid	Porsche 911 (991 I) GT3 Cup	2015 2nd Losail Porsche GT3 Middle East Championship round
TC1	2:01.628^[17]	José María López	Citroën C-Elysée WTCC	2015 FIA WTCC Race of Qatar
World SSP	2:01.832^[18]	Kenan Sofuoğlu	Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R	2017 Losail World SSP round
Moto3	2:03.135	Tatsuki Suzuki	Husqvarna FR250GP	2024 Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix
Stock car racing	2:04.508^[19]	Vitantonio Liuzzi	Speedcar V8	2009 Losail Speedcar Series round
125cc	2:05.695	Scott Redding	Aprilia RS125R	2008 Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix
Supersport 300	2:13.798^[20]	Ana Carrasco	Kawasaki Ninja 400	2019 Losail Supersport 300 round
Asia Productions 250	2:24.177^[21]	Kasma Daniel Kasmayudin	Yamaha YZF-R25	2015 Losail ARRC round
Asia Underbone 130	2:31.934^[22]	Ferlando Herdian	Yamaha T-150	2014 Losail ARRC round

Racing history

Formula One

Year	Winning driver	Winning team
2021	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes
2023	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing

MotoGP

Year	MotoGP	250cc/Moto2	125cc/Moto3
2004	Sete Gibernau	Sebastián Porto	Jorge Lorenzo
2005	Valentino Rossi	Casey Stoner	Gábor Talmácsi
2006	Valentino Rossi	Jorge Lorenzo	Álvaro Bautista
2007	Casey Stoner	Jorge Lorenzo	Héctor Faubel
2008	Casey Stoner	Mattia Pasini	Sergio Gadea
2009	Casey Stoner	Héctor Barberá	Andrea Iannone
2010	Valentino Rossi	Shoya Tomizawa	Nicolás Terol
2011	Casey Stoner	Stefan Bradl	Nicolás Terol
2012	Jorge Lorenzo	Marc Márquez	Maverick Viñales
2013	Jorge Lorenzo	Pol Espargaró	Luis Salom
2014	Marc Márquez	Esteve Rabat	Jack Miller
2015	Valentino Rossi	Jonas Folger	Alexis Masbou
2016	Jorge Lorenzo	Thomas Lüthi	Niccolò Antonelli
2017	Maverick Viñales	Franco Morbidelli	Joan Mir
2018	Andrea Dovizioso	Francesco Bagnaia	Jorge Martín
2019	Andrea Dovizioso	Lorenzo Baldassarri	Kaito Toba
2020	Cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns	Tetsuta Nagashima	Albert Arenas
2021 Qatar	Maverick Viñales	Sam Lowes	Jaume Masiá
2021 Doha	Fabio Quartararo	Sam Lowes	Pedro Acosta
2022	Enea Bastianini	Celestino Vietti	Andrea Migno
2023	Fabio Di Giannantonio	Fermín Aldeguer	Jaume Masià

FIA World Endurance Championship

Year	Hypercar Winners	LMGT3 Winners
2024	No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport	No. 92 Manthey PureRxcing
2024	Kévin Estre André Lotterer Laurens Vanthoor	Alex Malykhin Joel Sturm Klaus Bachler

Superbike World Championship

Year	Race	Winning rider	Winning team
2005	Race 1	Troy Corser	Alstare Suzuki
2005	Race 2	Yukio Kagayama	Alstare Suzuki
2006	Race 1	James Toseland	Winston Ten Kate Honda
2006	Race 2	Troy Corser	Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra
2007	Race 1	Max Biaggi	Alstare Suzuki
2007	Race 2	James Toseland	Ten Kate Honda
2008	Race 1	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Xerox Team
2008	Race 2	Fonsi Nieto	Team Alstare Suzuki
2009	Race 1	Ben Spies	Yamaha WSB
2009	Race 2	Ben Spies	Yamaha WSB
2014	Race 1	Sylvain Guintoli	Aprilia Racing Team
2014	Race 2	Sylvain Guintoli	Aprilia Racing Team
2015	Race 1	Jordi Torres	Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils
2015	Race 2	Leon Haslam	Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils
2016	Race 1	Chaz Davies	Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
2016	Race 2	Chaz Davies	Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
2017	Race 1	Jonathan Rea	Kawasaki Racing Team
2017	Race 2	Jonathan Rea	Kawasaki Racing Team
2018	Race 1	Jonathan Rea	Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK
2018	Race 2	Race cancelled
2019	Race 1	Jonathan Rea	Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK
	SR	Jonathan Rea	Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK
	Race 2	Jonathan Rea	Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK
2020	Race cancelled

World Touring Car Championship

Year	Race	Winning driver	Winning team
2015	Race 1	José María López	Citroën Total WTCC
2015	Race 2	Yvan Muller	Citroën Total WTCC
2016	Race 1	Gabriele Tarquini	Lada Sport Rosneft
2016	Race 2	Mehdi Bennani	Sébastien Loeb Racing
2017	Race 1	Tom Chilton	Sébastien Loeb Racing
2017	Race 2	Esteban Guerrieri	Honda Racing Team JAS

FIM Endurance World Championship

Year	Manufactor	Winning team	Winning riders
2007	Suzuki	Suzuki Endurance Racing Team [fr]	Vincent Philippe [fr] Matthieu Lagrive
2008	Yamaha	Yamaha Austria Racing Team	Igor Jerman [de] Steve Martin Steve Plater
2009	Yamaha	Yamaha Austria Racing Team	Igor Jerman [de] Steve Martin Gwen Giabbani [fr]
2010	Suzuki	Suzuki Endurance Racing Team [fr]	Vincent Philippe [fr] Sylvain Guintoli Freddy Foray [fr]
2011	Yamaha	GMT94 [fr]	David Checa Kenny Foray Matthieu Lagrive
2012	BMW	BMW Motorrad France Thevent	Sebastien Gimbert Damian Cudlin Erwan Nigon [es]

Motocross World Championship

Year	Race	MXGP	MX2
Year	Race	MX1	MX2
2013	Race 1	Clément Desalle	Jeffrey Herlings
2013	Race 2	Tony Cairoli	Jeffrey Herlings
2014	Race 1	Maximilian Nagl	Dylan Ferrandis
2014	Race 2	Gautier Paulin	Jeffrey Herlings
2015	Race 1	Maximilian Nagl	Jeffrey Herlings
2015	Race 2	Maximilian Nagl	Jeffrey Herlings	WMX
2016	Race 1	Tim Gajser	Jeffrey Herlings	Courtney Duncan
2016	Race 2	Tim Gajser	Jeffrey Herlings	Courtney Duncan
2017	Race 1	Tony Cairoli	Pauls Jonass
2017	Race 2	Tony Cairoli	Pauls Jonass

Speedcar Series

Year	Race	Winning driver	Winning team
2009	Race 1	Gianni Morbidelli	Palm Beach
2009	Race 2	Vitantonio Liuzzi	Union Properties

GP2 Asia

Year	Race	Winning driver	Winning team
2009	Race 1	Nico Hülkenberg	ART Grand Prix
2009	Race 2	Sergio Pérez	Barwa International Campos

References

External links

Official website

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