Qatari rally champion Nasser Al Attiyah with other racers during the event.
Doha: Qatar Airways is now the Global Partner and Official Airline of Formula 1. Qatar Airways and F1 will be partners through the 2027 season, bringing thrills and exciting speeds to fans globally.
Minister of Sports and Youth H E Salah bin Ghanim Al Ali inaugurated the official partnership at an event along with QMMF’s President Abdulrahman Al Mannai, Formula 1 President and CEO, Stefano Domenicali, and MotoGP CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta.
In addition to the global partnership, Qatar Airways will be the Title Sponsor of three Grands Prix this year: The Qatar Airways Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (May 19 to 21), the Qatar Airways Hungarian Grand Prix ( July 21 to 23), and the Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix (October 6 to 8).
This season, Formula 1 boasts its most global racing calendar to date with 23 races across 21 countries and five continents.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, H E Akbar Al Baker, said: “The best partnerships thrive because of mutual values. Both Qatar Airways and Formula 1 are global brands that share a passion for innovation, precision and luxury. As a brand, we believe in the power of sports to unite people, and as such, we have been selective with picking the most thrilling sporting events and sponsoring a variety of new and prominent sporting initiatives.”
“With 23 stops in the 2023 World Championship, F1 is a global sport, requiring a Global Airline partner that offers extensive global connectivity. Hence, Qatar Airways demonstrates the perfect companion for one of the most desirable sports series in the world.”
Minister of Sports and Youth H E Salah bin Ghanim Al Ali, Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation President Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai, President & CEO of Formula 1 Stefano Domenicali and Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta attend the event held at Doha’s iconic Lusail Boulevard, yesterday.
Stefano Domenicali, President & CEO of Formula 1, said: “As the pinnacle of motorsport, it makes sense for Formula 1 to partner with the World’s Best Airline, Qatar Airways. We are two brands committed to delivering the best experiences to our fans and customers, and our combined global reach makes for a perfect match. We are delighted to welcome Qatar Airways as our Global Airline Partner.”
On his part, Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai, QMMF’s President, said: “We are pleased that Qatar Airways is joining as the Global Partner and Official Airline of Formula 1, as well as a title sponsor for both Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix and Qatar MotoGP. We strongly believe that this partnership will place Qatar at the forefront of the motorsport ecosystem through hosting such prestigious events, in addition to positioning the country as a global hub for sports and entertainment tourism.”
To commemorate this partnership, Qatar Airways hosted a special evening for the public at Lusail Boulevard.
The event featured a special appearance from the Qatari rally champion Nasser Al Attiyah, former Red Bull Formula 1 driver, David Coulthard, KTM MotoGP rider, Dani Pedrosa, stunt rider, Mike Jensen, a Red Bull drift car driven by Abdo Feghali and a static display of an FIA World Endurance Championship Hyper car.
Spectators were also treated to a dazzling performance by the best-selling R&B artist, Akon.
For only the second time in history, motorsport fanatics will have the chance to watch their favourite teams and drivers push their cars to the limit at the Lusail International Circuit when F1 heads back to Qatar for the Qatar Airways Grand Prix on 6-8 October, 2023.
In addition to the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2023, the Lusail International Circuit will host the Qatar Moto GP on 17-19 November. Other motorsport events in Qatar include the Geneva International Motor Show Qatar in October 2023 and the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) World Endurance Championship in 2024.
