Israeli strikes in Doha, the capital of Qatar, earlier this week took place just a few miles away from the Lusail International Circuit which will host F1 cars later this year
Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali said he wants to use the sport to promote global unity. The Italian also confirmed the Qatar Grand Prix is, as it stands, scheduled to go ahead as planned later this year despite Israeli strikes close to the Lusail International Circuit this week.
Several explosions took place in the Qatari capital Doha on Tuesday as Israel launched a strike on Hamas leaders in the Gulf state. The hostile act has drawn international condemnation, and raised fears over the safety of holding major sporting events in the region.
The final two rounds of the F1 season are set to take place in the Middle East, the first being the Lusail race scheduled for Sunday November 30. A week later, the season finale will be held in Abu Dhabi. F1 chief executive Domenicali said it is business as usual for now, though he is keeping a close eye on developments in the region.
He told The Observer: “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.”
Expanding on that last statement, Domenicali made clear his belief that a global sport like F1 can bring about positive change at a time when some groups and nations have never been more divided.
He said: “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 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.”
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Among those who condemned the strikes on Doha this week was Keir Starmer. During a meeting with Israeli president Isaac Herzog in Downing Street, the Prime Minister said the attack was “completely unacceptable”.
Speaking after that meeting, a spokesperson for Downing Street said: “He condemned Israel’s action in Doha yesterday as completely unacceptable. He said the strikes were a flagrant violation of a key partner’s sovereignty and do nothing to secure the peace we all desperately want to see.”
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And, during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Starmer said: “I condemn the strikes that Israel carried out in Doha. They violate Qatar’s sovereignty, they do nothing to secure the peace that the UK and so many of our allies are committed to.
“I spoke to the Emir of Qatar last night, soon after the attack, to convey our support and solidarity. He was crystal clear that, notwithstanding the attacks, he will continue to work on a diplomatic solution to achieve a ceasefire and a two-state outcome.”