Huge racing news out of Qatar–the Gulf country is set to host its first ever Formula One Grand Prix this November, replacing the cancelled Australian GP. The announcement came today from the organizers.
The race will be held at Losail International Circuit on November 21, ahead of the F1 races in both Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia. Jeddah will hold its first F1 Grand Prix this year as well.
The event will mark the third event in a triple header that begins with the Mexican and Brazilian Grands Prix.
In addition, Qatar has signed a 10-year deal to host Formula One starting in 2023, making this far from a one off, and instead the start of a yearly stop on the F1 schedule.
There will be no race held next year because of the FIFA World Cup.
The 16-turn track in Doha was built in 2004, currently a permanent fixture on the two-wheeled MotoGP calendar.
Discussions will continue regarding the location for the Grand Prix from 2023, with further details to be provided at a later time, according to Formula One.
Losail already had an FIA Grade 1 Licence, which meant it was a viable option to host a Grand Prix this year at short notice amid the continuing Covid-19 pandemic, said F1.
The FIA will complete an inspection, standard procedure when courses are joining the F1 calendar, and required changes are probably minimal.
If you’d like to watch, the Formula 1 season will stream on Shahid VIP, the premium streaming service of regional media giant MBC.
Finally, an easy and *ahem* legal way to stream.
The subscription based service and leading Arabic-language streaming platform will host the entirety of the 2021 Formula 1 season in full HD.
A subscription to Shahid VIP will set you back AED 19.99 a month in the lowest package, which is around $5 a month.
If you’d rather watch it on TV, there’s a free option as well: Watch it on MBC Action.