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The wait is over! F1 confirms which country will fill the gap in the racing calendar
TBC, or To Be Confirmed – this acronym has stood for most of this season between the Brazilian Grand Prix and the race in Saudi Arabia. But now the wait is over, Formula 1 has finally confirmed which country will host the race from 19-21 November.
TBC, or To Be Confirmed – this acronym has stood for most of this season between the Brazilian Grand Prix and the race in Saudi Arabia. But now the wait is over, Formula 1 has finally confirmed which country will host the race from 19-21 November.
Qatar is the country that is expected to fill a gap in the Formula 1 calendar, according to the latest information. This is no surprise though, negotiations regarding the inclusion of the Qatar Grand Prix in the World Championship calendar have been ongoing for some time.
Along with Saudi Arabia, this makes two new circuits where Formula 1 monoblocs have not yet appeared.
After Brazil, where it will be run on 14 November, the Queen of Motorsport will be waiting for the first of them a week later. The race in Saudi Arabia is scheduled for 5 December, with the season then finishing in Abu Dhabi on 12 December.
It should be noted – this is not just some kind of calendar filling for 2021. Formula 1 has signed a ten-year deal with Qatar! However, this agreement will not come into force until 2023. Next year, the race will not be held here because of the World Cup, which is being hosted by Qatar.
The Losail International Circuit was opened in 2004, however, we may know this circuit from Moto GP races.
The FIA has yet to carry out an inspection, but as the circuit is licensed to host Formula 1 races, this inspection will be more of a formality and we certainly don’t expect any major modifications to the track itself.
The circuit consists of sixteen corners and offers one DRS zone for easier overtaking.
And, as was the case recently in Sochi, the finishing straight is almost 1 kilometre long. This means that Turn 1 will provide the best opportunity for overtaking.
For Formula 1 fans, the Qatar track will be reminiscent of the Istanbul circuit. There is a “triple apex”, a sequence of high-speed corners (12-14). This section is very similar to turn 8 in Turkey.
The only difference is that the pilots will be going in the opposite direction. So we can expect increased tyre degradation and very likely at least two pit stops.
The Qatar Grand Prix is scheduled for 57 laps and, according to F1 simulations, we should expect race times of around one minute and 28 seconds.
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