LUSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT AND MOTOGP RACE TOWARDS A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
As one of the Middle East’s premier motorsports venues, the state-of-the-art Lusail International Circuit (LIC) takes its commitment to the environment seriously and aims to reduce and offset the impact of its operations to provide a sustainable destination for fans and stakeholders alike.
Working to guidelines set out by the MotoGP Championship - which saw Spain’s Jorge Martin romp home to victory as part of the high-octane MotoGP Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar - Lusail International Circuit focused on five key areas to improve sustainability and ensure a more eco-friendly race for riders, teams and spectators alike:
Green transport - a team of 50 electric golf carts have been deployed around the circuit for the duration of the weekend, to reduce the use of fossil fuel consumption. Spectators were also encouraged to use public transport, including Doha’s metro and Lusail’s tram, through a collaboration with Q-Rail. Event organizers estimate that up to 50% of spectators used Q-rail, therefore reducing the amount of people using their own car to get to the circuit.
Waste management - LIC works hard to collect and segregate all waste streams and the management of such waste took center stage during the strategic planning of the 2024 MotoGP., With critical priorities and objectives in place to optimize and preserve the natural environment, now and in the future, the primary aim was to collect waste sensibly and actively promote recycling to racegoers and spectators.
To achieve this goal, four waste separation streams were implemented throughout the venue. Each bin stream was then diligently sorted by hand at the compounds to ensure that the contents of each bin liner were appropriately segregated.
Subsequently, the waste from these streams was securely stored and transported to recycling facilities for further processing. Over 23,000 tons of organic material, five tons of plastic and PET, almost four tons of general waste, almost three quarters of a ton of glass and over 1-ton tons of metal were collected, sorted and recycled over the course of the race weekend.
Furthermore, leveraging MotoGP’s profile as an international event, fans were encouraged to get involved in recycling using one of three giant branded bins which encouraged them to dispose of their plastic waste responsibly, helping to raise awareness of the importance of reducing single-use plastic usage in the process.
Food waste - LIC and MotoGP enjoy a partnership with Qatar’s Wa’hab which collects all surplus food for redistribution to vulnerable communities.
Lighting - teams have worked hard to replace generators which powered lighting in 2023, with energy from solar power (whilst generators are in place for contingency). This has significantly reduced the consumption of diesel. Compared to previous MotoGP events, the amount of fuel ordered for track lighting has decreased by an impressive 85% year-on-year.
A further 109 lighting poles, with a 15KW light load have been installed across LIC’s car parks and those on its rooftop have a capacity of 1234 KW.
Landscaping - LIC has invested heavily in landscaping to help improve the horticultural diversity of the circuit, firstly laying down 15,000 m2 of lawned grass which helps to clean the air, trap carbon dioxide, and improve soil quality.
This has been further improved with mass planting of over 2,500 trees and over 30,000 shrubs and hedges, which together provide habitats for birds and insects, aid carbon capture and reduce noise pollution. Nurturing this vegetation will be a focal point of the circuit’s sustainability efforts for years to come.
Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al-Mannai, President of Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) and LIC said: “As a hub of motorsport and entertainment in the Middle East we’re proud to be leading the way in implementing sustainability strategies with our championship partners. It’s important that the motorsport sector works collaboratively to reduce the impact of its operations on the environment and set new measurable targets as we collectively aim for net zero status.”
Sustainability has been woven into LIC’s physical architecture for many years - and in 2023 it gained certification from the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) who awarded the circuit a two-star rating for its sustainable operations.
LIC continues to define and evolve its sustainability strategy as part of its commitment to support Qatar’s National Vision 2030.