Lusail International Circuit
Lusail International Circuit at a glance
- Location
- Lusail, Al Daayen
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 5.419 km (3.367 mi)
- Turns
- 16
- Direction
- counter-clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 2004
- Owner
- Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation
- Capacity
- 52,000
- Address
- Lusail
- Website
- qatarmotogp.com
Track map and layout
Lusail International Circuit is a floodlit desert circuit north of Doha, originally built for MotoGP and lit for night racing since 2007, becoming host to MotoGP's first-ever night race in 2008. A major renovation completed before the 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix reshaped several corners, widened run-off areas and rebuilt trackside facilities to bring the circuit up to FIA Grade 1 standard for F1, expanding permanent grandstand capacity from around 8,000 to 52,000 in the process. The current layout keeps the circuit's characteristic long, sweeping medium- and high-speed corners, designed originally for motorcycle racing lines, which make it fast and physically demanding in an F1 car.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix circuit (2023-present) | 5.42 km | current layout used for F1, MotoGP and WEC, 16 turns |
| Original Grand Prix circuit (2004-2022) | 5.38 km | layout used before the pre-2023 renovation, 16 turns |
| Short circuit | — | 11-turn configuration used for club and support racing |
| Club circuit | — | 12-turn configuration used for club racing and driving schools |
Events and race weekends
Lusail's biggest weekends are the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix and the MotoGP Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix, both run as floodlit night races in November, alongside a Formula Regional Middle East Trophy round in February. The circuit has been the traditional MotoGP season opener for most of its history under lights, and since 2024 has also hosted a round of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix | Formula 1 | November | night race on the post-2023 layout |
| MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix | MotoGP | November | night race; Lusail hosted MotoGP's first-ever night race in 2008 |
| FIA World Endurance Championship Qatar round | WEC | varies | held since 2024 |
| Formula Regional Middle East Trophy | Formula Regional | February | junior single-seater series |
Getting there and parking
Hamad International Airport is the main gateway to Doha, around a 34-minute taxi or Uber ride to the circuit. The Doha Metro Red Line now runs north to Lusail, and on race weekends a free shuttle connects the Lusail station area to the circuit's main entrance for ticket holders, making the metro-plus-shuttle combination the most reliable way to beat event-day traffic.
- Hamad International Airport (DOH) · about 34 min drive
Parking
Circuit parking is available but heavily used on Grand Prix weekend; the Doha Metro Red Line to Lusail plus the free race-weekend shuttle is recommended over driving.
Take the Doha Metro Red Line to Lusail and use the free ticket-holder shuttle to the main entrance rather than driving on Grand Prix weekend, when road traffic around the circuit is heavy.
Hotels and camping near Lusail International Circuit
Lusail itself, home to Lusail Stadium, has several 5-star hotels only 10-15 minutes from the circuit by car, while Doha's West Bay (Diplomatic Area) and Downtown Doha offer a wider range of accommodation, with Downtown generally the most budget-friendly and closest to the airport. Hotel rates and availability tighten considerably around the November Grand Prix weekends.
Where to look
Lusail (5-star hotels including Mondrian Doha, The Ritz-Carlton Doha and Le Royal Méridien Doha, 10-15 minutes from the circuit); West Bay/Diplomatic Area, Doha (high-end hotel district); Downtown Doha (more budget options, closer to Hamad International Airport).
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Public track day information for Lusail International Circuit is not well documented; the venue is used primarily for its scheduled international race calendar and club/regional racing on its shorter configurations rather than an established public track-day program.
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 race lap record (post-2023 Grand Prix circuit) | 1:22.384 | Lando Norris | McLaren MCL38 | 2024 |
| MotoGP race lap record (post-2023 Grand Prix circuit) | 1:52.561 | Marc Marquez | Ducati Desmosedici GP25 | 2025 |
Spectator guide
The 2023 renovation added permanent grandstands around much of the lap, a major upgrade from the circuit's original MotoGP-era capacity, giving F1 and MotoGP fans more seating choice than in Lusail's first F1 seasons. As a floodlit night race, both the Qatar Grand Prix weekends run in cooler evening conditions than Doha's daytime desert heat.
Seating
Permanent grandstands now run around much of the circuit following the pre-2023 rebuild; specific stand names are not well documented in public sources.
Weather
- November (F1 and MotoGP): warm days, mild evenings; daytime highs often around 28-32°C, cooler after dark for the night sessions
History of Lusail International Circuit
Built for MotoGP, and built fast
Lusail International Circuit was constructed north of Doha in under a year by around 1,000 workers at a cost of roughly $58 million, opening in September 2004. It was purpose-built to host the Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix, which it did for the first time that same year, and quickly became a fixture of the MotoGP calendar as the series' desert venue.
The first MotoGP night race
In 2007, Lusail installed permanent floodlighting, and the following March it hosted the first-ever night race in MotoGP history, a landmark that gave the circuit a lasting identity distinct from every other venue on the calendar. For most of the following decade and a half, Lusail served as MotoGP's traditional season opener, its floodlit desert setting becoming one of the most recognisable images in motorcycle racing.
Formula 1 arrives, then a full rebuild
Formula 1 first raced at Lusail in 2021, added to the calendar at short notice as a stand-in Grand Prix, but with limited permanent grandstand capacity of only around 8,000 seats and safety concerns around kerbs and barriers designed for motorcycles rather than F1 cars. Ahead of a return to the calendar in 2023, the circuit underwent a significant renovation: several corners were reshaped, run-off areas widened, and permanent grandstands expanded to 52,000 seats, bringing the venue up to FIA Grade 1 standard for regular F1 use. Since then, Lusail has hosted both the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix and MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix as night races each November, and added a round of the FIA World Endurance Championship from 2024, cementing its place as Qatar's flagship motorsport venue.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Lusail International Circuit?+
The current (post-2023) Grand Prix circuit is 5.419 km (3.367 miles) long with 16 turns, run counter-clockwise.
What changed at Lusail before the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix?+
The circuit was renovated to FIA Grade 1 standard for regular F1 use: several corners were reshaped, run-off areas widened, and permanent grandstand capacity expanded from around 8,000 to 52,000.
Why does Lusail host night races?+
Permanent floodlighting was installed in 2007, and Lusail hosted MotoGP's first-ever night race in March 2008; both the Formula 1 and MotoGP Qatar Grands Prix are still run after dark.
How do you get to Lusail International Circuit?+
Hamad International Airport (DOH) is about a 34-minute drive from the circuit; the Doha Metro Red Line to Lusail plus a free race-weekend shuttle is the recommended way to reach it on event days.
Where do fans stay for the Qatar Grand Prix?+
Lusail itself has several 5-star hotels 10-15 minutes from the circuit, while Doha's West Bay and Downtown areas offer a wider range of accommodation, with Downtown generally the most budget-friendly.
What is the F1 lap record at Lusail?+
Lando Norris set the current race lap record of 1:22.384 for McLaren at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, on the post-2023 layout.
Other tracks nearby
- Bahrain International Circuit · 112 km · road course
- Yas Marina Circuit · 337 km · road course
- Dubai Autodrome · 384 km · road course
- Riyadh Street Circuit, Diriyah · 497 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Kuwait Motor Town · 503 km · road course
- Reem International Circuit · 565 km · road course
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.