Formula One chief Stefano Domenicali wants to use the sport as a platform for promoting global unity. Despite recent Israeli strikes near the Lusail International Circuit, the Italian boss confirmed that the Qatar Grand Prix is still set to proceed as planned later this year.
The Qatari capital, Doha, was rocked by several explosions on Tuesday following an Israeli strike on Hamas leaders in the Gulf state, sparking international outrage and concerns over the safety of hosting major sporting events in the region. The final two rounds of the F1 season are due to take place in the Middle East, with the Lusail race scheduled for Sunday, 30 November, followed by the season finale in Abu Dhabi a week later.
Domenicali stated that it’s business as usual for now, but he is closely monitoring the situation in the region. He commented: “That is very tragic, very difficult. We are monitoring the situation very closely. But we are not in a situation today where we can say that it is a concern [for the race to go ahead]. We hope that sport will bring positivity.”
Domenicali further emphasised his belief that a global sport like F1 can foster positive change during times when certain groups and nations are deeply divided.
He added: “We are the only worldwide sport that every year is around the globe where we meet with prime ministers, with kings, with everyone, with the top men in the world. So m “My hope is that through F1 we can also talk about the bigger picture of the world in a way that the sport can unify the world that we are living in. “.