This is my review and spectating guide for the North Grandstand at the Qatar Formula 1 GP, held at the Lusail International Circuit.
This guide includes videos of the view from different seats and sections, a full seating plan, info on securing tickets and my top tips on picking the best seats.
Contents
North Grandstand Qatar Location
The North Grandstand at the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar is on the left-hand side (outside) of the main start / finish straight. It’s directly opposite the exit of the pit lane and has a view of the braking zone and entry of Turn 1.
This grandstand is positioned after both the start and finish lines.
Directly adjancent to this stand, to its right, is the larger Main Grandstand which is better positioned to give views of the cars on the starting grid before the race.
If you have a ticket to the North grandstand at the Qatar GP then you also get access to the Lusail Hill General Admission viewing area on the outside of T1.
Grandstand details
Cover
The North grandstand is not covered. The Qatar F1 Grand Prix is a night race, and the earlier sessions throughout the weekend will be in the late afternoon when the sun has passed its hottest point. Plus the sun will set behind this grandstand, so it will be shaded later in to the afternoon anyway.
Rain is never a worry, so being uncovered isn’t much of an issue.
But it does get cold in the evening, so bring something warm to put on.
Seats
The seats in this grandstand are individual plastic chairs.
TV screens
There are two TV screens visible from this stand. Both are on the other side of the track, one is opposite the left hand end of the stand and one is opposite the right. It’s easier to see a screen if you’re seated in either end of the stand, rather than sitting in the middle.
North Grandstand tickets Lusail Circuit
Because this grandstand offers fantastic views of the braking zone for Turn 1, where most overtaking happens, this stand is one of the most popular places to sit at the Lusia circuit for both the F1 and MotoGP events.
That means tickets will often sell out quickly on the official website, however. So in that case you can do what I always do and buy your tickets through ViaGoGo instead, for either the F1 or Moto GP races at Qatar, as they’ll have tickets available right up until the Sunday of the race weekend – even when they are sold out elsewhere.
Plus you can select single-day ticket options on ViaGoGo. They give you more flexibility and are cheaper than 3 day tickets.
I’ve bought my Formula 1 tickets through ViaGoGo numerous times over the last few seasons, including for my recent trips to the British and Canadian GP, and have always had a great experience with them.
North Grandstand Qatar seating plan
Below is the seating plan for the North Grandstand at the Lusail International Circuit in Doha, Qatar.
As the seating plans shows the grandstand is split in to 8 sections. Row numbers are lower in the seats at the front of the grandstand and increase as you move up.
One thing to note – there is no assigned seating in North Grandstand at the Qatar GP. That means that when you buy tickets for this stand, you don’t have assigned seats. Instead when you arrive you get to walk around the stand and pick your own seats, depending on which ones are free. They will never sell more tickets than available seats, but the earlier you get to the stand, the better choice you’ll have.
The only stand at the Qatar F1 race that has reserved seats is the Main Grandstand.
View
This image shows, in green, the parts of the circuit you can see from this grandstand:
As the image above shows, your view from here is mainly of the end of the main straight and the braking zone and entry for Turn 1.
There’s a large building on the inside of Turn 1 that blocks your view of the track once the cars have passed the apex:
However, if you sit in a high enough row, you can also see over towards Turn 2 and catch a brief glimpse of the cars there.
Below I’ll show you some videos that give you an idea of the view you’re likely to get from the North grandstand at Qatar.
This video was filmed from the back row. It shows that you get a great view of cars braking and overtaking each other in to Turn 1, and then from this high row you can also see them briefly as they go around Turn 2 on the other side of the circuit:
And 2:22 in this next video was filmed from lower down in the North grandstand, in Row 5:
This next clip was filmed from around half way up the grandstand further to the left-hand end. From here you get a great view of the cars entering the first corner, but you’re still not high enough to have a view over to Turn 2.
And this video shows the view from standing up at the very front of the grandstand, so what is effectively Row 1:
Best seats
Personally I think the best seats in the North Grandstand at the Lusail International Circuit are those in the top few rows towards the left hand end of the stand. Being in the highest rows allows you to see over to Turn 2, and being towards the left hand end means you have a great view of the Turn 1 action, plus you’re opposite one of the two screens.
Is this a good place to sit?
I think this is the best grandstand to sit in at the Qatar GP to see overtaking. Being situated at the end of the start / finish straight, this is where the majority of the passing moves happen. So if you want to see some wheel-to-wheel action then I’d definitely say this is the best grandstand to go for.
