Qatar Airways Hits the Circuit as the Official Airline and Global Partner of Formula 1

‎ 22 February 2023

The five-year partnership will feature three title races in 2023 including the Formula 1 Grand Prix Qatar

Qatar Airways will be the title sponsor of the MotoGP Grand Prix of Qatar

DOHA, Qatar – Qatar Airways, the World’s Best Airline is now the Global Partner and Official Airline of Formula 1®(F1®), the pinnacle of motorsport and the world’s most technologically-advanced racing series. Qatar Airways and F1® will be partners through the 2027 season, bringing thrills and exciting speeds to fans globally.

Today, the leading global airline announced an expansion of its sports partnership portfolio at a captivating event that brought astounding entertainment and special appearances to Doha. In addition to the global partnership, Qatar Airways will be the Title Sponsor of three Grands Prix™ this year: The Qatar Airways Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (19-21 May), the Qatar Airways Hungarian Grand Prix (21-23 July), and the Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix (6-8 October).

This season, Formula 1® boasts its most global racing calendar to date with 23 races across 21 countries and five continents, mirroring the motorsport’s rapidly growing footprint worldwide and the extensive global connectivity offered by the Qatar Airways oneworld Alliance, which serves over 150 countries.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “The best partnerships thrive because of mutual values. Both Qatar Airways and Formula 1® are global brands that share a passion for innovation, precision and luxury. As a brand, we believe in the power of sports to unite people, and as such, we have been selective with picking the most thrilling sporting events and sponsoring a variety of new and prominent sporting initiatives.”

 “With 23 stops in the 2023 World Championship, F1® is a global sport, requiring a Global Airline partner that offers extensive global connectivity. Hence, Qatar Airways demonstrates the perfect companion for one of the most desirable sports series in the world.” 

Stefano Domenicali, President & CEO of Formula 1®, said: “As the pinnacle of motorsport, it makes sense for Formula 1® to partner with the World’s Best Airline, Qatar Airways. We are two brands committed to delivering the best experiences to our fans and customers, and our combined global reach makes for a perfect match. We are delighted to welcome Qatar Airways as our Global Airline Partner.”

On his part, Mr. Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al-Mannai, QMMF’s President, said: “We are pleased that Qatar Airways is joining as the Global Partner and Official Airline of Formula 1®, as well as a title sponsor for both Formula 1® Qatar Grand Prix and Qatar MotoGP. We strongly believe that this partnership will place Qatar at the forefront of the motorsport ecosystem through hosting such prestigious events, in addition to positioning the country as a global hub for sports and entertainment tourism. This will contribute towards pushing the wheel of our society’s growth and development and will pave the way for tremendous business and investment opportunities.”

To commemorate this partnership, Qatar Airways hosted a special evening for the public at Doha’s iconic Lusail Boulevard, to mark the F1®announcement and raise awareness about all the motorsport events taking place in Qatar this year. H.E. Minister of Sports and Youth, Mr. Salah bin Ghanim Al Ali inaugurated the official partnership along with QMMF’s President, Mr. Abdulrahman Al-Mannai, Formula 1® President and CEO, Stefano Domenicali, and MotoGP CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta.

The event featured a special appearance from the Qatari rally champion Nasser Al-Attiyah, former Red Bull Formula 1® driver, David Coulthard, KTM MotoGP rider, Dani Pedrosa, stunt rider, Mike Jensen, a Red Bull drift car driven by Abdo Feghali and a static display of an FIA World Endurance Championship Hyper car. Spectators were also treated to a dazzling performance by the best-selling R&B artist, Akon.

For only the second time in history, motorsport fanatics will have the chance to watch their favourite teams and drivers push their cars to the limit at the Lusail International Circuit when F1® heads back to Qatar for the Qatar Airways Grand Prix on 6-8 October, 2023.

In addition to the Formula 1® Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2023, the Lusail International Circuit will host the Qatar Moto GP on 17-19 November. Other motorsport events in Qatar include the Geneva International Motor Show Qatar in October 2023 and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) World Endurance Championship in 2024.

To celebrate this partnership, Discover Qatar, the Destination Management Company of Qatar Airways, are the first to offer tickets to the Formula 1® Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2023. Today, Discover Qatar have exclusively launched a comprehensive range of hotel and ticket-inclusive packages to their global retail partners, which include Grandstand and prestigious Paddock Club tickets. All packages include a free entry pass to the Geneva International Motor Show Qatar taking place in Doha from 5-14 October, courtesy of Qatar Tourism.

Qatar Airways Holidays further elevates the partnership with a limited number of all-inclusive travel packages, allowing global fans around the world to attend the event and partake in exclusive experiences such as pit lane walks, guided track tours and access to special events with appearances by top F1® drivers. The Ultimate F1® Experience packages include return flights with Qatar Airways, premium hotel options, race tickets and other exciting experiences and benefits. To secure packages, customers can visit the dedicated link, qatarairways.com/f1.

Both Qatar Airways and F1® are committed to working together to reduce the environmental impact of their respective industries through responsible practices. As part of the partnership, both entities aim to collaborate on sustainability-focused initiatives to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and strive for a greener future.

Qatar Airways as a brand is committed to supporting global sports, helping fans travel to their favourite events wherever they may be. The airline is a leading global football supporter, with partnerships including FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, Paris Saint-Germain, FC Bayern, Concacaf and CONMEBOL. Additionally, Qatar Airways is the official airline of the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 Triathlon Series, Official Airline Partner of the United Rugby Championship (URC), Global Kitesports Association and multiple other disciplines including equestrianism, padel, squash and tennis.

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was announced as the ‘Airline of the Year’ at the 2022 World Airline Awards, managed by the international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax. It was also named ‘World’s Best Business Class’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Seat’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Onboard Catering’ and ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’. The airline continues to stand alone at the top of the industry having won the main prize for an unprecedented seventh time (2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022).

Qatar Airways currently flies to more than 150 destinations worldwide, connecting through its Doha hub, Hamad International Airport, voted by Skytrax as the ‘World’s Best Airport’ 2022.