MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix 2026 | Schedule & Sessions | MotorSportRadar

MotoGP - Qatar Grand Prix

Dunlaing Watches
Event Start

Qatar Grand Prix

Dunlaing Watches
0 D
0 H
0 M
0 S

6 - 8 Nov

Lusail International Circuit

Lusail International Circuit

Free Practice 1
18:15 - Fri, 6 Nov
Practice
22:30 - Fri, 6 Nov
Free Practice 2
17:30 - Sat, 7 Nov
Qualifying 1
18:10 - Sat, 7 Nov
Qualifying 2
18:35 - Sat, 7 Nov
Sprint
22:30 - Sat, 7 Nov
Warm Up
18:10 - Sun, 8 Nov
Race
22:30 - Sun, 8 Nov

Where To Watch MotoGP in United States

Where To Watch MotoGP in United States
MotoGP VideoPass Official MotoGP streaming service; live and on-demand races, practice, qualifying, interviews, features and archive access.
HBO Max UK streaming access listed on MotoGP's official broadcasters page for 2026.
NordVPN
Stream MotoGP securely from anywhere with NordVPN Traveling abroad or using public Wi-Fi? Protect your connection and access your usual coverage more securely.

Upcoming in MotoGP

Upcoming in MotoGP
French Grand Prix
8 - 10 May
Catalonia Grand Prix
15 - 17 May
Italian Grand Prix
29 - 31 May
View More

Upcoming at Lusail International Circuit

Upcoming at Lusail International Circuit
Qatar Grand Prix
Moto-2
6 - 8 Nov
Qatar Grand Prix
Moto-3
6 - 8 Nov
Qatar Grand Prix
Formula 2
27 - 29 Nov
Qatar Grand Prix
Formula 1
27 - 29 Nov

Track Info

Lusail International Circuit - Lusail, Qatar

Permanent road course north of Doha - clockwise - full night racing with fast, flowing corners and a 1+ km main straight

First Race
2004
Opened for international competition in 2004. F1 first visited in 2021.
Circuit Length
5.419 km
57 laps - 308.611 km race distance for the Qatar Grand Prix.
Turns
16
Medium and high-speed sweepers dominate, with only one long DRS zone on the main straight.
Lap Record (Race)
1:22.384 - Lando Norris (McLaren), 2024
Formula 1 - official race lap on the current 5.419 km layout.
Lighting & Surface
Floodlit since 2007
Comprehensive resurfacing and kerb updates ahead of F1’s 2023 return.

When was the track built?

Constructed in the early 2000s on the desert plain north of Doha, Lusail opened in 2004 and quickly became a Middle East motorsport hub. Permanent floodlights were added in 2007, enabling the first full night MotoGP race in 2008 and setting the template for its after-dark identity.

Major works for 2023 brought a fresh surface, new kerbing and visibility tweaks, while preserving the circuit’s essential character of long-radius corners and a kilometer-long pit straight.

When was its first race?

The venue’s first race weekend was in 2004. Formula 1 debuted here in 2021, returned from 2023 on a long-term deal, and now runs entirely under the lights.

What's the circuit like?

  • Fast, flowing rhythm: A string of medium-to-high-speed bends rewards stable aero and confident rotation. The lap has few slow corners, so tyre temps stay high.
  • Turn 1 overtakes: A long DRS run down the main straight funnels into the heaviest stop at T1. Miss the apex and you’re vulnerable through T2-T4.
  • Wind and track evolution: Evening breezes and desert dust mean big grip gains as the weekend rubbers in. Crosswinds can unsettle cars through the long arcs.
  • Strategy themes: Clean air is valuable in the fast stuff; undercuts work if you can rejoin into space. Safety Cars are less frequent than on street tracks, so pure pace often wins.
  • Benchmark pace: F1 race lap record 1:22.384. Qualifying poles typically land around the low 1:20s on a rubbered-in surface.

Lap records and benchmarks (by series)

  • Formula 1 (race lap): 1:22.384 - Lando Norris, 2024 Qatar GP - current 5.419 km layout.
  • FIA WEC Hypercar (race fast lap): 1:39.748 - Matt Campbell, Porsche 963, 2024 Qatar 1812 km.
  • FIA Formula 2 (race lap): 1:37.997 - Oliver Bearman, 2024 Lusail round.
  • Formula Regional Middle East: 1:50.541 - Nikita Bedrin, 2025.
  • F4 Middle East (recent bests): ~2:00.9 range during 2025 Qatar weekend.
  • MotoGP (race lap): 1:52.561 - Marc Márquez, 2025 Qatar GP (bike layout stats tracked separately from F1).
  • Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East (Cup car benchmark): ~1:59.3 on the 992 GT3 Cup in 2024.

Why go?

A spectacular night-race setting, modern facilities and wide sightlines. The grandstands along the main straight deliver DRS duels into Turn 1, while the flowing mid-lap complexes show off aero performance under the lights. Doha’s food scene and easy transport links make logistics straightforward.

Where's the best place to watch?

  • Turn 1 grandstand: Starts, restarts and the prime overtaking zone after the long DRS run.
  • Turns 9-10 sweep: Fast direction changes where balance differences are obvious and mistakes snowball.
  • Final corner and main straight: See exit fights onto the straight, DRS activations and pit stop strategy play out.
  • Main grandstand: Grid, podium and panoramic views of the illuminated facility.

Not just F1: Qatar and world series at Lusail

MotoGP: The sport’s original full-night Grand Prix, a season opener in many years with dramatic lighting and cool-air performance.

FIA World Endurance Championship: The Qatar 1812 km anchors the season with Hypercars and LMGT3s setting eye-catching averages through the fast arcs.

Regional single-seaters: Formula Regional Middle East and F4 Middle East deliver deep grids and plenty of slipstreaming down the main straight.

One-make GT: Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East brings big fields and constant kerb-riding action under the lights.

Hotels & Accommodation

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