The Lusail International Circuit is modern Formula 1 under the floodlights at its best. Carved out of the Qatari desert just north of Doha, it has evolved from a MotoGP-first venue into a full‑blown Grand Prix showpiece, where night racing, speed and endurance collide. Built in the early 2000s and transformed ahead of F1’s long‑term return, Lusail has quickly earned its place as one of the calendar’s most demanding and visually striking stages.
The Soul of Lusail
Lusail is long, fast and relentlessly flowing. At 5.419 km with 16 corners, the lap is dominated by medium‑ and high‑speed sections, with few real breathing points for the drivers. Carrying momentum is everything here: if you hesitate through the opening sweeps or misjudge your line into the fast right‑handers in the middle sector, your lap unravels long before you reach the main straight.
What makes Lusail unique is how it blends its MotoGP heritage with modern F1 brutality. The 1 km main straight invites aggressive, DRS‑assisted overtakes into Turn 1, but from there the circuit turns into a continuous test of confidence, neck strength and tyre management. Under the lights, with sand just beyond the artificial grass and the desert heat still lingering in the air, every lap feels like a full‑commitment run on the edge of what car and driver can sustain.
Track facts
- Track Name: Lusail International Circuit
- First Grand Prix: 2021
- Track Length: 5.419 km (16 turns)
- Number of Laps: 57
- Race Distance: Approximately 308 km
- Lap Record: 1:22.384 – Lando Norris (2024)
- Characteristics: Fast, flowing, high‑speed corners and long lateral loads on the tyres
Weekend schedule (Local Time – Qatar)
| Session | Date | Qatar (AST) | London (GMT) | Berlin (CET) | New York (EST) | Sydney (AEDT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practice 1 | Fri, Nov 28 | 16:30 | 13:30 | 14:30 | 08:30 | 00:30 (Sat) |
| Sprint Qualifying | Fri, Nov 28 | 20:30 | 17:30 | 18:30 | 12:30 | 04:30 (Sat) |
| Sprint | Sat, Nov 29 | 17:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 09:00 | 01:00 (Sun) |
| Qualifying | Sat, Nov 29 | 21:00 | 18:00 | 19:00 | 13:00 | 05:00 (Sun) |
| Grand Prix Race | Sun, Nov 30 | 19:00 | 16:00 | 17:00 | 11:00 | 03:00 (Mon) |
What to expect this weekend
- Turn 1 commitment: The first corner arrives at the end of the main straight and invites late braking and side‑by‑side action, especially on the opening lap.
- Tyre management: Long, fast corners generate heavy lateral loads, so tyre wear and temperature management will be crucial for both the sprint and the race.
- Desert night conditions: Even under floodlights, track and air temperatures stay relatively high, making cooling and physical endurance an important factor.
- Flow and rhythm: Drivers who quickly find a rhythm through the linked high‑speed sections will gain big chunks of time in both qualifying and race trim.
Enjoy Qatar in Assetto Corsa
With the right combo of track, car and tools like Content Manager, you can recreate the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix weekend at home and experience the challenge of this fast, flowing circuit.
Lusail is not officially available for Assetto Corsa , so we’ve provided links, along with the car and Content Manager. To manage the rest, you can use:
We leave you with some amazing videos in Assetto Corsa:
See you on the track!
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