Monday 8 March at 08:31 : Mar.8 (GMM) Qatar could soon be ready to join the formula one calendar.

FIA president Jean Todt has just visited the Arab emirate, which already holds MotoGP races at the Losail circuit.

Modifications at Losail are taking place with the aim of hosting formula one.

"Surely formula one is part of our future plans," Qatar Motor and Motorcycling Federation president Nasser bin Khalifa al-Attiyah confirmed, according to the Gulf Times.

"Once everything is in place the track will be evaluated by the safety commissioner and then the track will be licensed for official formula one testing. After that we will be ready to be part of the formula one circuit," he added.

The FIA's Charlie Whiting is scheduled to arrive in Qatar in the days following Sunday's season opening Bahrain grand prix.

"We will do what Whiting will suggest. We shall fulfil all F1 requirements before we bid for a race," al-Attiyah is quoted as saying by the daily Peninsula newspaper.

Todt added: "It is easy for Qatar to host an F1 race. It is a commercial matter that has to be solved by the formula one body (FOM) and the local organisers.

"We already have two formula one races (Bahrain and Abu Dhabi) in the Middle East. It will be a welcome addition if Qatar also gets it," he said.