Formula 1 returned to Lusail Circuit for the second running of the Qatar Grand Prix last October. F1 made its debut at the circuit – primarily used for motorcycle racing – in 2021. The event was not held in 2022 due to the country hosting the FIFA World Cup. The promoter holds a ten-year contract to stage the Qatar Grand Prix.
The first F1 race in Qatar in 2021 was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, though it still attracted 80,000 fans over the Grand Prix weekend. The 2023 Qatar Grand Prix was a larger event, drawing in 120,000 fans over three days, though it had the second-lowest attendance of any race in the 2023 season; only Bahrain posted a smaller three-day attendance.
Despite rumours about the event moving elsewhere – a street race in Doha reportedly among the options – Formula 1 remain at Lusail Circuit for the time being. The circuit will host three world-leading motorsport series racing from 2024, with the World Endurance Championship set to join F1 and MotoGP on the annual schedule.