By Edward Iskandarian | Staff Writer
For the past few generations, the motorsport scene has taken over the entertainment industry. What began as the European Drivers’ Championship and the World Manufacturers’ Championship eventually led to the creation of Formula 1 by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), establishing it as the most glamorous one among them all. The “Formula” is a set of rules that all teams and drivers must abide by. In its inaugural season in 1950, it held races in glamorous cities in countries such as Monaco, Switzerland, and France.
Over the course of the following decades, Formula 1 contracted with many other nations. I remember my first time watching the Grand Prix. I was with my family on a business trip in Singapore in 2022, and we had one day left before departing back to Beirut. Fortunately, we were lucky and somehow got our hands on F1 tickets. It was a marvelous sight; a whole segment of the marina bay was closed off for the sole purpose of the race, and thousands of people were watching the race under heavy rainfall. A couple of months later, my friend from Bahrain invited me to join him at their Grand Prix. Although I didn’t go to that race, it left me pondering how different nations collaborated with the FIA to set up circuits and become a part of this spectacle.
What many don’t know is that Beirut was a serious contender to host its own Formula 1 Grand Prix in the late 1990s to early 2000s. This period was marked as an expansion to the Middle East. Countries including the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi), Bahrain, and Egypt were all in a race to establish the first circuit. Bernie Ecclestone, the F1 chief at the time, reportedly considered Beirut for a Grand Prix. Race Director Charlie Whiting even visited Lebanon to inspect the proposed track. He expressed cautious optimism, reportedly stating, “There’s far from a green light at this stage, but I see nothing today that would stop the project from going through.”
The Solidere development project, which aimed to rebuild downtown Beirut after the civil war, was not shy about including plans for a possible 4.1 km street circuit around Zaituna Bay and Biel. The initial plan, proposed in 1999, was to host a Grand Prix in 2002. This plan was championed by former Prime Minister Rafic Al-Hariri.
However, lingering political instability and Lebanon’s struggle to secure funding meant the project never advanced beyond the planning stage. Some analysts argue that investments towards the 2000 Asian Football Confederation Cup prevented the allocation of government funding.
Ultimately, Bahrain won the race due to its stable economy and government-backed investment, hosting their first Grand Prix in 2004. Lebanon couldn’t compete, still recovering from war, lacking the necessary infrastructure. Had Beirut won the race, it could have positioned itself as a regional hub for motorsport, boosting tourism and enhancing its international image.
Though the circuit was never built and Lebanon never hosted an F1 race, the enthusiasm amid motorsports remains. In 2016, Red Bull Racing brought an F1 demo event to Beirut. Over 20,000 attendees gathered around Carlos Sainz and his car, proving that the passion for motorsport still exists. Had the Grand Prix happened, it could have transformed Lebanon’s economy and global image. Instead, we are left with a “what if” story, a reminder of what could have been.
I hope we get a GP in the future!!!
Wow! Who could’ve thought that in another world we would have a Lebanese GP instead of the Bahrain GP. Thoroughly interesting read.
For the past few generations, motorsport has steadily taken over the global entertainment scene. What began as the European Drivers’ Championship and the World Manufacturers’ Championship eventually evolved into Formula 1, established by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). Among all motorsport disciplines, F1 stands as the most glamorous and prestigious. The “Formula” refers to a strict set of rules that all teams and drivers must follow. Its inaugural season in 1950 included races in iconic cities such as Monaco, Switzerland, and France. PerYourHealth
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Italy has hosted the most races, with a total of 109 Grands Prix. The United Kingdom follows closely with 80 races, and Germany is third with 79. mywisely
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