Bahrain became the first Middle Eastern country to host a grand prix in 2004, in the Sakhir desert region, with Abu Dhabi set to follow suit next year. There are further tracks in Dubai – which has received both GP2, F1’s feeder series, and A1GP - and Qatar, whose Losail International Circuit has been the venue for MotoGP races since 2004, including the championship’s first-ever night-time outing last month.
There are now plans to upgrade Losail to F1 standards, whilst the track in Abu Dhabi is accompanied by a Ferrari World amusement park. Bahrain is similarly planning a technology centre at Sakhir, and Dubai’s Autodrome is part of the Emirates’ MotorCity development.
“The business model of a stand-alone circuit is gone forever. This area of the world is looking at motorsport as a proper sustainable business plan and we should all pay attention. ”
In further evidence of the Middle East region’s growing influence inside the sport, Abu Dhabi’s government-owned Mubadala Development Company holds a five per cent stake in Ferrari and also sponsors the Scuderia along with Etihad Airways, whilst rivals McLaren are 30 per cent owned by Bahrain’s Mumtalakat Holding Company.
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