By Rizwan Rehmat
DOHA: The new chairman of the Losail Circuit Sports Club (LCSC) has said his team will launch a 100-day development plan after this week’s Grand Prix of Qatar.
Saud Al Attiya, Chairman of LCSC, said developing motor sport and maintaining sustainable commercial growth of the circuit will be at the heart of the new plans.
The MotoGP family is in Qatar for the season’s opening races to be held at the 5.38km Losail Circuit tomorrow night.
“We have a 100-day plan that we have recently prepared,” Al Attiya said along side Dorna chief Caremllo Ezpeleta and QMMF President Rashid Al Mannai.
“We have three new objectives at the club. Number one, we want to promote motor sports in partnership with QMMF and Dorna,” Al Attiya said.
“Number two, we want to engage the local community into the circuit. We open the circuit every Wednesday for walking, running and cycling sessions. We have seen that this has become a major success with sports fans here. Also, we want to have a commercial model that is a sustainable model. We plan to introduce new activities that will run all year around,” Al Attiya said.
“We welcome Mr Carmelo Ezpeleta to Qatar. We are looking forward to learn from him to develop motor sport in Qatar,” Al Attiya said.
“We will be working together with QMMF, Dorna and our sponsors Commercial Bank of Qatar,” he said. “We will be working as a team,” he said.
“Our plans are huge. We are looking to develop the club. We want to compete with other circuits in the region and the world. Our plan will start at the end of the top event,” Al Attiya said.
“For the last couple of months, we have been striving to further improve the Grand Prix of Qatar, developing facilities at the venue, the track and the lighting system,” Al Attiya said.
QMMF President Al Mannai said he will be working to see top Qatari riders ‘competing at the highest level’ in the future.
“There is no doubt that there has been a huge success in Qatar in motor sports. We are not satified with. At QMMF, we want to focus on our new ambition. Our focus will be on somebody competing at the highest level,” Al Mannai said.
“We will shift our focus on youth and somebody who can reach the top in racing. We are trying to build a platform. We will support them and hopefully we can have them competing at the top level,” Al Mannai said.
Ezpeleta, the Dorna chief, said: “It is a special week. It is the start of the season. We have been coming here every year. During these 13 years, Qatar and Losail Circuit has been improving. I want to thank (former QMMF President) Nasser bin Khalifa Al Attiyah who had been working with us since the beginning. Today we start with the new management.”
“I can say to you that Lsoail Circuit is working very well. They have big, big plans to develop the sport. To be honest I only visited the track but now if you visit the track you will be amazed with the new development.
“All the manufacturers of the GP are here. We couldn’t have developed the sport without the help of Losail Circuit, QMMF and CBQ. I wish them best this week and in the future,” Ezpeleta said.
Abdulla Saleh Al Raisi, Chief Executive Officer of QBQ, said: “From the very start we saw as massive opportunity to promote this sport. From the day we start sponsoring this event to this day, we have seen tremendous development every year.”
He added; “We have witnessed an amazing development. To be part of something as big as the Grand Prix of Qatar is hugely satisfying.”
The official qualifying in MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 of the Grand Prix of Qatar takes place today while the races will be held tomorrow.
The Peninsula
