Losail International Circuit

The Losail International Circuit is an FIA Grade 1 raceway paved in 2004 in Lusail, less than half an hour away from Qatar's capital, Doha. The circuit is currently the venue for the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix and sits near the shore of the Persian Gulf, in the economic heart of the Arabian desert. There are two seasons in Qatar, the hot one (from May to October) and the cool one (from December to February). Summer temperatures tend to be over 35C (95), with minimal precipitations throughout the year. Racing under these atmospheric conditions is hard for racers and vehicles and is the main reason for running the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix at night.          

Losail starts in the front straightaway and goes into a fast-paced corner number one at 110 km/h (68 mph). The second turn is the opposite of the first one and leads into a sweeper turn number three. After turn four starts the most technically challenging stretch of the circuit, with 11 turns snaking at variable speed, lots of maneuvering, and lots of gearbox work. The tight-angle corner 16 takes drivers into the final straight to accelerate into top speed and pass their opponents whenever they have the chance to do so.