With the stage set for the Commercial Bank Grand Prix of Qatar on Sunday, QMMF President Nasser bin Khalifa al-Attiyah sheds light on the preparations that have gone into the motorcycling calendar’s first race.
Q: Losail circuit is ready to host the first round of the MotoGP season. How did you prepare for it?
A:To host the championship here in Qatar was a long-held dream. The circuit has been erected in no time. Doha witnessed the first championship in 2004 and since then we have made notable progress. Since then we are constantly aiming to be the best. The Qatar round is the only round which is organised under lights.
Q:The first round always represents a special importance, dosen’t it?
A:Of course, the first round is always the focus attention of riders and sponsors, as well as the media and the sport fans.
Q: What do you think of the support given by government of Qatar for all championships organised by Qatar?
A:The support of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani is unlimited in all the fields. Also the support of His Highness the Prime Minister, not only for the QMMF but for other sports as well.
Q: It’s clear that MotoGP’s popularity has surpassed that of Formula One. What do you think?
A:I agree with you, the percentage of those watching MotoGP in the past years has increased and surpassed the watchers of Formula 1 all over the world; they are now more than 500 million viewers via TV exclusive broadcasting channels.
Q:What is the benefit of the partnership between The Commercial Bank, QMMF and Al Fardan Automobiles Co?
A: Such a partnership results in economic benefit as well as increased media coverage. The Commercial Bank is considered one of the pioneer banks in Qatar. Also Al Fardan Automobiles, the dealers of BMW, are the official car sponsors.
Q: Where does the Losail Circuit stand among other motorcycling tracks?
A: Since the opening of Losail circuit, it has gained worldwide fame. It is the best and the safest circuit in the world and the only one that is operated under lights. It is much admired by champions.
Q: Tell us about the readiness of the circuit before the first race of the season…
A: The circuit is ready with its full capacity and operational possibilities. All facilities and shipments of the teams have been mobilised in the past few hours. Everything is perfect and we can hope for a great event this week.
Q: The attendance of the fans was notable in previous years. Do you expect an increase this time?
A: Absolutely, I expect a larger number of fans in the stands. All of us saw the grandstand was full last year.
Q: Can you tell us about the benefits vis-a-vis the economy, tourism etc?
A:This is a good question. Marketing is one of our priorities. QMMF is the only federation that is qualified to do so. The economic benefits come from mobilising the equipment of the teams and factories through Qatar Airways, hotels, car rentals and the attendance of large number of mechanics, technicians and the fans. All these aspects combine to make the event a great vehicle to promote Qatar.
Q: The pre-championship testing done last week has raised many surprises. Do you see any surprises when the competition begins?
A: The Ducati team is the major surprise. I expect that they will compete strongly for the title with Honda and Yamaha.