Best seats at the Qatar F1 Grand Prix

Lusail International Circuit, Al Wusail, Doha, Qatar

Held at the luxurious Lusail circuit, the Qatar F1 Grand Prix roared onto the racing scene in 2021 as the newest fixture of the calendar.

Following a brief hiatus in 2022 while Qatar hosted the World Cup, it’s returning for 2023 and beyond, after a contract was signed to keep formula one in Qatar for at least the next ten years.

Found 30km north of Doha, the 5.4km long track is found in Lusail, Qatar’s second largest city. The nearest major airport is Doha Hamad International, with connections all over the globe provided by Qatar airways.

While not directly served by public transport, there are a number of shuttle buses from all of the nearest metro stations across race weekend, to ensure you get there without any issues. Alternatively, many fans will book a taxi or a Uber from Doha, where the majority tend to stay.

“I love this track and the car felt amazing all weekend, so I can’t wait to come back here!”

Fernando Alonso – F1 World Champion

The northern side of Doha, with hotels such as ‘The Pearl’ is the most popular place to stay.

The Qatar Formula 1 race is now the 4th race to take place in the middle east with the well established Bahrain F1 Grand Prix, season ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the recently added Saudi Arabian F1 race. So there’s plenty to choose from in this part of the world.

Renowned for its speed, the track consists almost entirely of medium and high speed corners, allowing for fast and flowing racing.

There are a few tight turns thrown in for good measure, to ensure the drivers and their cars are sufficiently challenged from a technical standpoint.

Lusail offers a unique race day experience for both the drivers and the spectators. The beautiful desert backdrop coupled with it being a night time race really ramps up the viewing experience.

While there are only a few grandstands, each offers fantastic views of the course from a variety of different angles.

There’s just one single DRS zone at Losail, and it’s situated on the magnificent 1km long main straight. This means you’re pretty much guaranteed some dramatic overtaking and fiery wheel-to-wheel action going into the first bend. Who doesn’t want to see that?

The course is notoriously demanding, and the 2021 edition saw four front left tyre failures from teams who went for one stop run strategies, against the advice of suppliers Pirelli.

Lewis Hamilton stormed to victory under the lights that year, edging closest to Verstappen in the drivers championship.

The Qatar Formula 1 GP is not one to miss. It has brilliant facilities, a picturesque setting and if you’re a speed lover, you’ll be in heaven with a seat overlooking that huge main straight.

What’s more, the race is only going to get better and better as the organisers figure out what works and what doesn’t.

With a few different grandstand choices on offer, the question remains – where should you sit?

Main Grandstand 

With breathtaking views of the starting grid, the DRS zone on the main straight and the first turn, alongside the opportunity to watch the post-race podium celebrations, the main grandstand is by far the most popular choice for spectators at Lusail.

All these benefits don’t come cheap – tickets for the main grandstand are expensive as you’d expect at any circuit, but they are well worth the money.

Split into three sections, the main grandstand consists of Zones A, B and C. Zone A is the best but most expensive option. You’ll be in a prime position directly overlooking the start/finish line and the starting grid.

It also has the best viewing angle of the post-race celebrations, giving you a direct line of sight as your favourite driver climbs onto the podium.

As a covered grandstand, you’re protected from the intense evening sun, which is essential in the searing heat of Qatar. There are big screens right in front of you, so you don’t need to worry about missing any of the action.

Zone B is situated to the left of Zone A, slightly closer to the first turn. The entry to the first turn is probably one of the most exciting bits of the track, so you’re in for a treat with a spot overlooking this. There will be plenty of action, and the atmosphere throughout the main grandstand is electrifying. 

Zone C is found to the right of Zone A, giving you a better view of final corner and the beginning of the DRS zone.

While an excellent place to watch, the core of the action and excitement is at the other end of the straight, so you’re better off going for Zone A or Zone B if you get the choice.

Zone C would be a great place to watch the last lap unfold though, so if the finish is more important to you than any other aspect of the race, I’d still recommend grabbing tickets for here.

Thanks to its location right in front of the main fanzone, this series of grandstands are right in the thick of things. It’s a stone’s throw away from toilet facilities and food and drink stalls, and you are in the perfect spot to access the concerts and entertainment that goes on each night at Lusail.

With big screen access keeping you in the loop, you can follow the rest of the race no matter where in the main grandstand you’re sat.

The bulk of the fans will be sat here, so there’s plenty of like minded people to share your love of racing with. The Main grandstand, particularly Zone A, is the best grandstand at the Qatar circuit when taking into account the full race weekend experience.

Turn 2 Grandstand

Perched on the outside of the track at turn 2 is the U-shaped Turn 2 grandstand. Relatively small in comparison to the main grandstand, it offers respectable views of the drivers as they weave through the second turn and away through to the third and fourth in the distance. 

If you’re lucky enough and you snag a seat at the right of the stand, you might be able to see some of the overtaking manoeuvres as the drivers tussle for position into the first turn, but this isn’t a guarantee.

The atmosphere isn’t as good here as in some of the other grandstands. There is a video wall so you can follow on with the race though. Toilet facilities and food and drink stalls are close by thanks to the proximity of the stand to the main straight. You’ll also be just a short walk from the main fanzone, which is always a bonus.

Despite not being a terrible choice, there are better views at the Qatar circuit, and I would recommend trying to get a seat elsewhere.

Turn 16 Grandstand 

Overlooking the final turn of the track, the Turn 16 Grandstand puts you in a superb position to witness the race’s final stages. You’ll see the drivers meticulously adjusting their racing line in order to take the final bend as fast as possible, and make a last ditch attempt at covering any lost ground.

The latter stages of any lap in formula one is always an exciting affair, and this grandstand is the best place to be if that’s what you’re after. 

You’ll also have views of the cars entering the pit lane and heading towards their team garages for the much needed maintenance that comes with racing on such a demanding track.

With rear end views of the drivers as they plummet down the home straight towards the finish line, you should be able to see who takes the victory too.

Like the rest of the grandstands at Losail, there is a big screen visible from this grandstand that enables you to stay in tune. There are toilet facilities and food and drink stalls close by too, but you’re a little further away from the main fanzone.

If the finish of the race is the most important thing to you, then the Turn 16 grandstand is a very sturdy choice. If you want a more ‘all-encompassing’ view, you’re best off sitting elsewhere.

North Grandstand 

Found on the main straight but closer to turn 1 than the Main Grandstand is the North Grandstand. 

With a respectable view overlooking the first corner, it’s a decent spot to catch some of the first real bit of wheel-to-wheel action that the track has to offer. You should also be able to follow the cars as they head into the second turn too.

Besides that though, the North Grandstand doesn’t offer much more. Due to its poor placement and the fact that it’s set a fair distance back from the track, you can’t see that main straight, starting grid or start and finish lines.

All the most important and exciting parts of the race aren’t visible, making the North Grandstand probably the worst at the circuit.

There is a big screen that’s in your line of sight, offering some salvation. Being on the main straight, you’re close to the main fanzone which is great for pre and post-race entertainment. There are food and drink vendors next to the stand, along with toilet facilities.

If you’re heading to the Qatar Grand Prix and chasing some exhilarating Formula 1 action, I wouldn’t suggest going for the North Grandstand.

Corner 10 Grandstand 

Situated – if you hadn’t already guessed – at the tenth corner of the Losail Circuit, the corner 10 grandstand offers superb sweeping views across turn 8 all the way through to turn 10.

The drivers push their cars through this dynamic and intense bit of track at high speed, before squeezing the brakes as they enter turn 10.

Being away from the main straight, you’re not in the heart of the action as such if you go for a ticket here. It may leave you feeling a little isolated at times, and you’ll also be further away from the entertainment zones. There are toilets and food and drink stalls a short walk away though.

While the view this grandstand offers is decent, don’t expect to see much overtaking or thrilling close-wheel racing. It comes in cheaper than most of the grandstands at the track, but the view is reflected in the price. While great, it doesn’t cover a particularly exciting part of the track.

The corner 10 grandstand is by no means terrible, but you’ll be better off elsewhere. Go for line of the busier grandstands to ensure you really soak up that race-weekend buzz.

Losail Club Grandstand 

Heavily geared towards those fans who desire a slightly more luxurious experience over race weekend, the Losail Club grandstand offers some of the most impressive views at the Circuit.

Providing an exceptional vantage point that overlooks turns 9, 10 and 11, you’re in a great spot to get a really good glimpse of your favourite drivers and their machines.

The grandstands positioning on the inside of the track means you’ll have a face on view of them as they speed towards you, before breezing through the bend and slingshotting out the other side.

You can also see the nice long run of the drivers down the main straight and into turn 1.

It’s a fantastic place to be for photographers, and the fully floodlit circuit with the night sky backdrop will guarantee some phenomenal shots.

There are big screens surrounding the Losail Club, so you’ll never need to worry about missing the rest of the action.

There are toilets, and a variety of food and drink stalls on site too. Tickets for this grandstand are often included in hospitality packages, and tend to also grant you access to the sports lounge to enhance the feel of luxury even more.

If money is no object, the Losail Club grandstand is definitely worth considering. The Main Grandstand is perhaps the more exciting option though – it has better views of the DRS zone, and there’s nothing quite like being surrounded by so many passionate fans while overlooking the main straight.

Best seats at the Qatar F1 Grand Prix?

Without doubt the best place to sit is in the Main Grandstand. With its elevated position even the front rows get a great view over the track and into the pit garages. There’s a sense of excitement all along this large stand. Grab your tickets ASAP as it sells out fast.