Motorsports fans delighted to watch Formula One race in Qatar

Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton celebrates after the qualifying session ahead of the Qatari Formula One Grand Prix at the Losail International Circuit.

The announcement tone rings. “Please don’t leave your bags unattended,” says the announcer at Hamad International Airport. A blue shopping bag dangles in the hands of a middle-aged man, Christopher Leon Aguilar, an expatriate from Venezuela. He goes a step forward. Checks the arrivals board. Takes a step back. Stares at his watch. Taps his heels and leans by the railing. Eyes widen, pupils dilate.

“That’s Ralf! [Schumacher],” he says in excitement before making his way to the exit. Even though he is all masked-up, Aguilar is right; it is indeed Ralf Schumacher, former German racing driver, who won six Grand Prix between 1997 and 2007. He is also the brother of Michael Schumacher, seven-time Formula 1 World Champion. Aguilar reaches for his bag, picks out two scaled replicas of Schumacher’s helmets, and politely asks him to sign. Schumacher acknowledges and poses for a photo. “I cannot believe this,” Aguilar gasps in astonishment.

Lights will go out for the first time in Qatar as the country hosts its inaugural Formula One Ooredoo Qatar Grand Prix at the Losail International Circuit. Qatar has been the home of MotoGP in the region, having hosted the pinnacle of motorcycling event since 2004. And now with F1, the country has taken a giant step in positioning itself as a major sporting destination of the region.

“The love for cars in Qatar and the wider region can really be associated with motorsports,” says Aimen Jan, a Pakistani expatriate based in Qatar for the past eight years. Jan got interested in Formula 1 after watching the critically acclaimed Netflix documentary series, Drive to Survive.