Sport

Monday, July 07, 2025 | Daily Newspaper published by GPPC Doha, Qatar.

Sport

Gulf Times

Qatar makes first-ever entry at 24 Hours of Spa

In a historic milestone for Qatari motorsport, the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), in partnership with seasoned endurance team Sainteloc Racing, made its debut at the 24 Hours of Spa. Running in the Bronze class of the 2025 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, the QMMF by Sainteloc Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II marked Qatar’s first-ever entry in the fabled endurance event held at the legendary 7 km Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium’s Ardennes region.The 2025 Spa grid featured a record-breaking 76 cars and approximately 280 drivers representing ten major manufacturers. Facing such formidable competition, the Qatari outfit—featuring drivers Ghanim al-Maadheed, Abdulla al-Khelaifi, Ibrahim al‑Abdulghani, and guest driver Julian Hanses — delivered a commendable debut, finishing 14th in class and 46th overall.Sainteloc Racing, founded in 2004 by Sebastien Chétail in Saint‑Etienne, France, is one of the most respected GT teams in Europe. It has competed at Spa since 2012 and secured victory in 2017 with an Audi R8 LMS, becoming a top-tier competitor in GT3 endurance racing. In 2025, the team also led the opening day of the Spa prologue test, underlining its preparedness for endurance competition.Prior to Spa, the QMMF by Sainteloc squad enjoyed notable success in regional endurance events, including triumph at the 24 Hours of Dubai in the 992-class Middle East Trophy earlier this year—underscoring their pedigree in endurance racing on international terrain.This landmark entry at Spa represents more than a debut; it reflects Qatar’s strategic commitment to nurturing world-class motorsport talent. Through the QMMF’s partnership with elite teams like Sainteloc, Qatar continues to build a development pathway—from karting and regional series to endurance icons like Spa and beyond.With each passing race, Qatar's motorsport aspirations are tangibly unfolding, as evidenced by this historic outing. The nation is rapidly progressing towards its future in the sport, kilometer by kilometer.

Gulf Times

Qatari Referee to serve to Be on Var duty in Chelsea vs Palmeiras

The Referees Committee of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has announced the selection of Qatari referee Khamis Al Marri as part of the officiating team for the match between Chelsea (England) and Palmeiras (Brazil), which will take place tomorrow Saturday, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.The match is part of the quarterfinal stage of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, currently being hosted by the United States.Al Marri will serve as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the match, which will be officiated on the field by Australian referee Alireza Faghani.This will be Al Marri's third appearance as a video referee in the tournament so far. He previously worked alongside fellow Qatari referees Salman Falahi, Ramzan Al Nuaimi, and Majid Al Shammari in the Benfica (Portugal) vs. Auckland City (New Zealand) match, as well as the Los Angeles FC (USA) vs. Flamengo (Brazil) match during the group stage, highlighting the success and strong presence of Qatari officiating in major international tournaments.The teams that have qualified for the quarterfinals of the 2025 Club World Cup are: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Real Madrid (Spain), Paris Saint-Germain (France), Chelsea (England), Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Palmeiras and Fluminense (Brazil).It is worth noting that the current edition of the Club World Cup is the first to feature 32 teams, divided into 8 groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Round of 16. The knockout rounds are played in a single-elimination format, culminating in the final match scheduled for July 13 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

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