By Staff Reporter
Doha: Qatar is set to write a new chapter in its sporting history this June when Team Qatar makes its debut at the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans, bringing the nation’s motorsport ambitions to one of the most gruelling and prestigious stages in the world.
The programme, delivered through a strategic partnership between the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) and Iron Lynx, alongside a collaboration with Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, will see Team Qatar compete in the LMGT3 category when the race gets underway from June 13 to 14 at Circuit de la Sarthe in France.
First held in 1923, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is the centrepiece of the FIA World Endurance Championship calendar — a relentless test of speed, reliability, strategy, and human endurance contested without interruption across a full day and night.
Team Qatar arrives at Le Mans on the back of a remarkable rise through international endurance racing. The programme secured the 2025 24H Series Overall championship, claiming victories in the 992 AM Drivers, Teams, and Overall 992 Teams Championships. It also triumphed at the 24 Hours of Dubai in the 992 AM category, and carried that momentum into 2026 with category wins at the 6 Hours of Abu Dhabi and the 12 Hours of Mugello.
In the European Le Mans Series, the team recorded pole positions in Barcelona and Paul Ricard in the LMGT3 category. At the Barcelona season opener, Qatari driver Abdulla Al Khelaifi earned Most Valuable Driver honours after leading the race for more than 70 per cent of the event, with the team ultimately finishing fourth.
Al Khelaifi will spearhead the Le Mans lineup alongside international teammates Julian Hanses and Giuliano Alesi, blending global endurance racing experience with homegrown Qatari talent.
Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai, President of QMMF and Lusail International Circuit, described the Le Mans debut as a defining milestone. “Team Qatar’s participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans is an important moment for Qatari motorsport and reflects the country’s growing presence on the international stage,” he said. “Through our partnership with Iron Lynx and collaboration with Mercedes-AMG, we are creating opportunities to learn, grow, and establish a stronger foundation for Qatar in global endurance racing.”
Iron Lynx Team Principal and CEO Andrea Piccini paid tribute to the speed of QMMF’s progress. “The QMMF achieved outstanding results in a really short time and we will give our maximum effort to help it continue its rise,” he said, adding that he was confident in the potential of the lineup ahead of the race.
For Al Khelaifi, the occasion carries deep personal significance. “For all of us at Team Qatar, competing at Le Mans is a proud and exciting moment. This race represents the highest level of endurance racing and being part of it is an incredible opportunity,” he said. “We arrive with great respect for the challenge ahead and with a strong desire to learn from the experience, continue developing as a team, and represent Qatar in the best possible way.”
Fans can follow Team Qatar’s Le Mans journey through the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation’s official social media channels.
