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Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah will be bidding for a record-breaking 19th victory from 26 starts when this weekend’s Qatar International Rally gets underway from the Lusail Sports Complex Thursday afternoon. The in-form Qatari began his challenge for an unprecedented 21st FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) title with victory in Oman two weeks ago and has now switched his attention to securing a staggering 93rd career MERC rally win on the three-day event being hosted by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF). Al-Attiyah and co-driver Candido Carrera top a 23-car field with strength in depth and will be looking to start their weekend’s campaign with a strategic performance on the new Qualifying Stage Thursday. This will determine the starting order for Friday’s opening special stage. The outcome of the Qualifying Stage will be the deciding factor to which of the Rally2 crews opens the road, acts as a road sweeper and faces the slight disadvantage of clearing loose sand and gravel off the racing line. In the past, the leader of the championship has opened the road regardless and al-Attiyah may well be able to take advantage of the new addition to the regulations to strengthen his challenge in an Autotek Skoda Fabia RS. Abdullah al-Rawahi is back from serious injury and pushed al-Attiyah hard in his native Oman last month. Punctures ultimately dropped him to second place and out of victory contention, but the Omani is better prepared for this rally and is hopeful that he has a good set-up on his Skoda Fabia RS to apply the pressure on al-Attiyah from the outset. The former regional champion teams up with Jordanian co-driver Ata al-Hmoud. Local driver Abdulaziz al-Kuwari was not present at the opening round but stayed in match fitness with a strong performance at last weekend’s Saudi Baja. He teams up with his brother Nasser in a Skoda Fabia RS and will be striving for the podium on a rally he won in 2012. This will only be the third special stage rally in Hamza Bakhashab’s short career but the Saudi showed in Oman that he has the pace to reach the podium. He admitted at the press conference on Tuesday evening that working efficiently with accurate pace notes had cost him dearly at the opening round when he crashed out of third place, but he and Irish co-driver Lorcan Moore are determined to come back even stronger this weekend in their Jameel Motorsport Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Engine issues sidelined Mohammed al-Marri in Oman but the QMMF-backed driver has switched to a Citroën C3 this weekend and will make his debut in the Rally2 class with Frenchman Pierre Delorme reading his pace notes. Veteran Nasser Khalifa al-Atya began his 2026 campaign with a podium finish in Oman, as he tries to retain the FIA Master Driver trophy he won last season. The Qatari again teams up with Lebanese co-driver Ziad Chebab in a Motortune-run Ford Fiesta. Jweihan aims to extend his FIA MERC2 advantageShaker Jweihan was the class of the MERC2 field at round one with his fellow Jordanian co-driver Mustafa Juma and the youngster is determined to maintain the momentum in Qatar. “We have made a strong start to the season and, yes, the goal is to keep it going and push for another win,” said the Mitsubishi driver. His closest rivals in Oman were the Kuwaiti duo of Jassim al-Muqahwi and Sulaiman al-Helal, who finished fifth overall and picked up points for second in MERC2. Jordan’s Sami Fleifel was third and he teams up with Yazan Juma to continue his push for MERC2 honours. A cruel retirement cost Oman’s Zakariya al-Aamri (Subaru) valuable points on round one but he will be hoping to be in the mix with navigator Mohammed al-Mazrui on Qatar’s abrasive gravel terrain. Further MERC2 competition comes from the Indian duo of Mohamed Mansoor Parol and Lenin Joseph and Lebanon’s Charbel Chebly and Carlos Hanna in a pair of Mitsubishis. Rashid al-Muhannadi and Gary McElhinney are the defending FIA MERC4 champions, but their title defence ground to a halt with engine issues in Oman. The QMMF-backed Qatari will be looking to bounce back strongly with a category win this weekend, although he faces strong competition from a quartet of Qatari drivers in similar Peugeot 208 Rally4s and the Indian duo of Payyaakkal Panikkaveettil and Musa Sherif in a Ford Fiesta. The QMMF has offered support to Ahmed al-Kuwari, Nouef al-Sowaidi, Khalifa Saleh al-Attiyah and Ahmad Shaheen al-Muhannadi to boost the flagship two-wheel drive category. They have teamed up with their respective co-drivers, Baptiste Cerrato, Aisvydas Paliukenas, Laos Savvas and Taha al-Zadjali. The Lebanese pairing of Shadi El Fakih and Joseph Kmeid wheel out their Rally5 Renault Clio at the rear of the field behind four SSVs that are also eligible for the regional rally championship. Mohammed al-Atteya and Mirko Carrara drive a pair of Can-Ams and Christiano Gabbarrini and Mario Marotta wheel out two Yamaha YXZ 1000Rs built by Quaddy Racing. Thursday’s competitive timetable opens with a 75-minute practice session through a new 5.56km special for Rally2 cars at Al Khor from 10.00hrs. This will also act as the new qualifying stage for Rally2 crews, starting at 11.45hrs. The result of that will determine the starting order for leg one. The slowest driver in the qualifying stage will run as the first Rally2 entrant on the road Friday. Non-Rally2 machines will be permitted a maximum of two passes apiece during a shakedown on the Al Khor stage from 12.30hrs until 14.15hrs. The ceremonial start will then take centre stage adjacent to the service park in the grounds of the Lusail Sports Complex. 

Fresh from a remarkable run of international successes, Qatar’s Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah will headline this weekend’s Qatar International Rally, the second round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship organised by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF).Eight drivers, including championship leader and home hero al-Attiyah and former champion Abdullah al-Rawahi, joined QMMF’s Executive Director Amro al-Hamad at the pre-event press conference at the Lusail International Circuit Tuesday.Qatar’s veteran racer Nasser Khalifa al-Atya, Mohammed al-Marri and Rashid al-Mohannadi, Jordan’s current FIA MERC2 leader Shaker Jweihan, his Kuwaiti rival Jassim al-Muqahwi and Saudi Arabia’s young Hamza Bakhashab were also in attendance.QMMF President Abdulrahman al-Mannai was then called forward at the conclusion of the press conference to present a cake to al-Attiyah on behalf of the QMMF to celebrate the Qatari’s recent sixth success in the Dakar Rally.Should the multiple regional champion achieve glory this weekend, it will be his fourth international win in as many weeks to follow on from the Dakar success, victory in the opening round of this championship in Oman and a triumph at last weekend’s Saudi Baja, round one of the FIA World Baja Cup.Al-Attiyah spent much of the morning in the service park at Lusail with his Autotek team discussing the car set-up, a new livery for his Skoda and in-car camera fitment. Upbeat after winning last weekend’s Saudi Baja, the Qatari said: “It has been a fantastic start to the year. We’ve had three very good performances - Dakar, Oman and Saudi Baja - and we are leading three different championships. Now it’s my home event in Qatar.“We will miss some top European drivers coming here this year, but we need to focus and manage with the drivers from the Middle East. We will try to win this race. We will check out the new stages on Wednesday. It’s really good this year that we have a compact rally. Sometimes we lost a lot of time travelling to Lusail or the Corniche for the start or the finish. Now, at Lusail, we have the start here, the podium, the service park and a Qualifying Stage and no super special. We really pushed for the Qualifying Stage from a long time. It will be really nice. Now you can choose your start position to an extent. The Shakedown is also very important now.”Oman’s al-Rawahi finished second at the opening round in his home nation less than two weeks ago and is upbeat about his chances this weekend. He said: “I am happy to be here. I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it. We are trying our best to do all the championship. With the budget it is quite tough. I think we are better prepared this time with the set-up. It’s going to be fast but we are getting closer and closer to Nasser every year. We are always aiming to get the podium. We are going to push from the beginning and see what we can do.”Young Qatari Mohammed al-Marri has made the transition to a Rally2 car this weekend after engine issues put a damper on his progress in Oman last month. Al-Marri said: “We had a disappointment in Oman after a strong start. We lost the engine but now we want to come back stronger and here I will drive a Citroen in Rally2. It’s a new beginning. I will be trying to compete with the guys at the same time as learning the car. We tested already and are getting better and better every time. It’s one of the best cars in Rally2. Hopefully, we can achieve a good result.”Wednesday the crews will carry their reconnaissance of the special stages in the north of Qatar, while scrutineering checks are carried out on the race vehicles at the Lusail International Circuit. 

President of the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) Abdulrahman bin Abdul Latif al-Mannai has congratulated His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), on his election as President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). Several Qatari sports bodies congratulated Sheikh Joaan on his election, saying the achievement reflects Qatar’s advanced standing in sports at both the continental and international levels. Al-Mannai said the election of Sheikh Joaan to this prestigious position is a well-deserved culmination of a career filled with successes and accomplishments. It also recognises his pioneering role over more than a decade in leading the Qatari Olympic movement, establishing Doha as a global capital of sport, and setting a benchmark for modern sports management, he added. The QMMF President noted that the unprecedented organisational successes and outstanding Olympic results achieved under Sheikh Joaan’s leadership, most notably Qatar’s best-ever Olympic performance at the Tokyo 2020 Games, along with hosting major international and continental championships, are clear evidence of his leadership competence and comprehensive strategic vision, capable of guiding Asian sports to new heights. Al-Mannai added that the extensive experience of HE Sheikh Joaan, both through his presidency of the QOC and his position as First Vice-President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), in addition to his contributions to developing sports talent through the Qatar Olympic Academy, enhances the prospects for a qualitative leap forward for the OCA in the coming period. Al-Mannai affirmed his great confidence in Sheikh Joaan’s ability to represent the Asian continent in the best possible way and to continue promoting the values of the Olympic Movement. He wished him success in his new role and praised the unlimited support provided by the wise leadership to sports and athletes, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. Meanwhile, Qatar Football Association President and QOC Secretary-General Jassim bin Rashid al-Buenain congratulated Sheikh Joaan on his election. “Heartfelt congratulations to His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani on the occasion of his election as President of the Olympic Council of Asia. A leadership stemming from extensive experience and an ambitious vision that will contribute to the development of the Olympic movement on the continent and the enhancement of the Asian sports journey,” he wrote on X. Also, Executive Director of the Qatar Olympic Academy (QOA), Khalil al-Jaber, expressed his best wishes for success to HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani during his tenure as President of the Olympic Council of Asia, which is considered the second-largest sporting organisation in the world. Al-Jaber explained that Sheikh Joaan left a clear and lasting mark during his presidency of the QOC, whether through the major sporting events hosted by the State of Qatar or through the notable achievements realised by Qatari sport. He added that the OCA is set to witness a significant qualitative leap during His Excellency’s presidency, given his strong vision and great ambition to develop the sports system and host major international sporting events. Mohammed Ahmed al-Mudahka, President of the Qatar Chess Association welcomed the appointment of Sheikh Joaan as President of the OCA. He said it is a significant gain not only for the State of Qatar but for Asian sports as a whole. He noted that the Asian continent is poised for an ambitious vision and substantial development in the future under the leadership of Sheikh Joaan. Al-Mudahka expressed his pride in the election of HE Sheikh Joaan to head the world’s largest regional organisation, a decision stemming from confidence in his ambitious vision to lead Asian sports to greater heights. 

Team Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) kicked off their 2026 campaign in spectacular fashion, claiming a double victory at the 6 Hours of Abu Dhabi, the opening round of the 24H Series ME-Trophy by Creventic on Saturday. The newly assembled QMMF driver line-up of Sheikh Jassim al-Thani, Faesal al-Yafei, and Ahmed al-Emadi dominated the Porsche 992 Cup category, securing both the overall class victory and first place in the 992 AM division at the demanding endurance event. The QMMF drivers displayed remarkable consistency throughout the six-hour race, combining strong pace with perfect execution and smart race strategy. Their performance in the highly competitive Porsche 992 Cup field demonstrated both individual talent and exceptional teamwork, allowing them to control the race and ultimately claim the top step of the podium in both categories. 

The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) has put the finishing touches to this weekend’s Qatar International Baja and competitors have now set up their equipment in the expansive Baja service park, adjacent to the Lusail International Circuit, north of Doha.Forty-three cars, 54 motorcycles and four quads are expected to tackle the penultimate rounds of the FIA World and Middle East Baja Cups and the FIM Bajas World Cup.Rally officials have also made minor tweaks to the route in the days building up to the event. The Prologue to determine the starting order for the first stage will now run for 10.59km Thursday afternoon. This precedes a slightly revised opening stage of 220.31km on Friday and the final run through the dunes of southern Qatar on Saturday that has been slightly lengthened to 234.19km.Five-time Dakar Rally winner Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah proved last December that it is possible to beat the Ultimate category cars and take an outright victory in a round of the FIA World Baja Cup (he and Pablo Moreno won the Dubai round in a Taurus T3 Max) in a Challenger class machine.The Qatari has a busy weekend ahead offering support vehicles to the QMMF Team. As he explained in the service park Tuesday: “We tried hard in Dubai last year and we won. It was really nice. Now, we have made a lot of development with the car (Taurus) in South Africa also. We have worked on the cooling and the power of the engine.”He added: “It is very nice to have the Nasser Racing and QMMF teams for our region and to help the people. It is amazing. We try to improve every time. It’s also a good chance for me to keep focused before the Dakar with Dacia. That’s another reason we are here. I am also with Fabian (Lurquin), my co-driver for Dakar, and we are here to learn more together. I didn’t want to miss this race.”One of the entrants in the SSV category at the wheel of an RX-Sport-supplied Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo RR is Nora Al-Jassasi. The first Emirati female to be licenced by the FIA as a driver is teaming up with navigator Egor Okhotnikov. After starting out in equestrian endurance racing, Nora switched to motorcycling and has also taken part in the Jameel Rally in Saudi Arabia on a couple of occasions.“I’m excited to be a part of the Qatar Baja,” said Nora. “I know Qatar’s terrain will be challenging but that’s what pushes you to improve. I will also compete in Dubai as preparation for the 2026 FIA Middle East Baja Cup. I took part in the Abu Dhabi Baja Challenge at the end of October and was third in T4 and second in the Ladies Cup.”Rashid al-Ketbi is a former rally driver himself and would often give Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Abdullah Bakhashab a run for their money on rounds of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship. He is now running Dubai-based RX-Sport and overseeing the exploits of Oman’s Hamed al-Wahaibi in this year’s FIA World Baja Cup.Al-Wahaibi is currently tied third in the SSV standings with Briton Paul Severn and behind runaway series leader Mitchel van den Brink and Italy’s Amerigo Ventura. Al-Ketbi said: “I am very excited to be here and to see so many old friends again. We have been managing Hamed all season in the World Championship and we are aiming for the podium. We reach a certain time in our motorsport careers as we get older and we decide to support each other as best we can. It is becoming a motorsport family more than just a motorsport challenge.”Al-Attiyah’s brother Khalifa Saleh is in pole position to win the FIA Middle East Baja Cup outright. The QMMF Team Taurus driver takes an 11-point lead over Saudi Arabia’s Dania Akeel into the weekend in the overall Drivers’ Championship. He leads team-mate Abdulaziz al-Kuwari by 32 points in the SSV standings. “I need to be cautious, not take risks, find a fast pace and make sure that I score points,” said Khalifa Saleh.Rival Akeel kept in match practice last weekend by finishing second overall at the Qassim Rally in Saudi Arabia. She will run an Overdrive Racing Toyota Hilux this weekend.Last year, Akeel was on the verge of history by becoming the first woman ever to win a Baja-type event in the Middle East. She led at the start of the final stage in Qatar and then stopped shortly before the finish with a broken steering arm. Desperate emergency repairs enabled her to reach the finish in fifth place.Juan Cruz Yacopini arrives in Doha trying to defend a 22-point lead in the Drivers’ Championship in the FIA World Bajas Cup. The Argentine’s closest rival is Czech veteran Miroslav Zapletal. Yacopini has only scored points on four rounds so far this year. He finished second to Yazeed al-Rajhi at the Saudi Baja and scored maximum points in Jordan, Italy and Spain.Mohammed al-Balooshi starts as the favourite in the FIM Bajas World Cup category and is also the leader of the local Qatar Baja series. Michael Anderson has a growing reputation in the area for his speed, while this year’s Saudi Baja winner Alex McInnes has changed the engine on his bike in the bivouac after last weekend’s Qassim Rally.Both Barry Howe and Hamdan al-Ali will be absent from the start list because of injury but Qatari riders Mohammed al-Kubaisi and Abdulrahman al-Sheeb will be raring to go. Meanwhile, Briton Ben Harvey-Grounds will line-up full of confidence after his win on a Kove in the prestigious 24-hour Dawn to Dusk Enduro in Wales.On Wednesday, competitors go through their administration and scrutineering checks at the Lusail International Circuit before a dozen of the leading drivers and riders attend the pre-event press conference in the circuit’s media centre 6pm.

Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) has announced a bumper entry of 43 cars, 57 motorcycles and four quads for next weekend’s Qatar International Baja, the penultimate rounds of the FIA World and Middle East Baja Cups and the FIM Bajas World Cup.The event takes place over a total desert route of 773.83km with 453.21 timed against the clock on November 6-8. Argentine Toyota driver Juan Cruz Yacopini has a 22-point lead in the FIA World Baja Cup and tops a truly world class field of cars across the Ultimate, Challenger, SSV and Stock categories. There are 10 entries in the flagship Ultimate class, 10 in Challenger, 19 in SSV and four in the Stock section for series-production cross-country machines.Yacopini’s main FIA World Cup title rival Miroslav Zapletal is also present on an Ultimate list that includes leading Saudi star and FIA Middle East Baja Cup challenger Dania Akeel (Toyota), defending Baja champion Denis Krotov (Mini) and Czech veteran Martin Prokop (Ford).Sergei Remennik and Khalifa al-Jafla are currently locked in a duel for the Challenger title in their Taurus T3s with Remennik holding a 35-point lead with two rounds remaining,Competition will be fierce with local legend and multiple event winner Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah wheeling out a Taurus and the likes of FIA Middle East Baja Cup leader Khalifa Saleh al-Attiyah, Abdulaziz al-Kuwari, Ahmed al-Kuwari and Nouef al-Sowaidi all representing the QMMF Team.Dutchman Mitchel van den Brink has a big lead in the SSV class and is also in contention for the overall title. The Can-Am Maverick R driver tops the category with team-mate Mattias Ekstrom and title rivals Hamed al-Wahaibi (Can-Am), Amerigo Ventura (Yamaha) and Paul Severn (Polaris).Mohammed al-Atteya and Mohammed al-Marri represent the QMMF Team, while last year’s Challenger category winner Anya Van Loon is also present racing against her husband Erik in the same class. Hamza Bakhashab leads the field in the FIA Middle East Baja Cup.Fernando Barreiros and Majed al-Thunayyan will fight it out for Stock points in the FIA World Baja Cup in their Nissans, while Abdullah al-Rabban will be hoping to hold off local rival Mohammed Al-Meer in the quest for FIA Middle East Baja Cup honours.Two-time event winner Mohammed al-Balooshi tops the two-wheel contingent on his KTM 450 RR, as the MX Ride Dubai pilot attempts to extend his lead in the FIM Bajas World Cup and retain the title.Main rival Rafic Eid is also present on his GasGas 450 Rally and another two-time event winner, Konrad Dabrowski, will wheel out his Duust Rally Team KTM in a bid to overhaul the absent Victor Manuel Moya Aguilera as the leading FIM Junior rider. Emirati Sultan Al-Shanqiti rides the third of the MX Ride Dubai entries.Saudi Baja winner Alex McInnes (Husqvarna) and leading Jordanian rider Abdullah Abu Aisheh (Yamaha) will also be looking to challenge for the podium.Three girls are chasing FIM points in the Women’s category. Alona Ben Natan leads the title race and faces competition from the Duust Rally Team’s Joanna Modrzewska and Kuwait’s Sarah Khuraibet.There is strength in depth down the entire motorcycle field with additional riders entered from Portugal, France, Jordan, India, Great Britain, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Slovakia, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, Croatia, the Netherlands, Norway, Lebanon, Mexico, the UAE and Poland.The host nation is represented by Mohammed al-Kubais and Abdulrahman al-Sheeb, Last year’s event winner Hani al-Noumesi leads the FIM Quad standings with two rounds to go and lines up against fellow Saudi Abdulaziz al-Atawi, Emirati Abdulaziz Ahli and local rider Yaghoob Azadi. All four entrants will ride Yamahas.

The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) has put the finishing touches to a challenging three-day route for the Qatar International Baja, taking place on November 6th-8th. The event is the seventh round of the FIA World Baja Cup, round three of the FIA Middle East Baja Cup and the sixth and penultimate round of the FIM Bajas World Cup. The iconic ‘Way to the World Cup’ landmark on Doha Corniche will be the backdrop for start and finish formalities for the first time. With a reputation as being one of the most demanding Baja events on the international calendar, the event offers tricky navigation, varied desert terrain and a mixture of gravel, rocky and sandy surfaces to ensure that drivers, navigators and riders are fully focused from the outset. Running under the chairmanship of QMMF President Abdulrahman Al-Mannai, QMMF’s Executive Director Amro Al-Hamad and board member Abdulrazaq Al-Kuwari, the event runs to a traditional Baja-type format with a short Prologue determining the starting order for the first of two stages in a total route of 773.83km through the Qatar desert. Administration and technical scrutineering will be based at the Lusail International Circuit on Tuesday, November 4th and Wednesday, November 5th. The circuit will also host the pre-event press conference at 18.00hrs on November 5th. Competitors will then tackle the opening Prologue of 10.66km, located 31.51km from the Lusail International Circuit, from 12.30hrs (first car 13.45hrs) on Thursday, November 6th. Teams and members of the media will then transfer to Doha for the ceremonial start by the ‘Way to the World Cup’ landmark from 18.20hrs (bikes) and 19.00hrs (cars). In a route devised by Clerk of the Course Pedro Almeida, his deputy Rashid Al-Sulaiti and their team, the opening stage on Friday, November 7th will be split into three timed parts of 67.38km, 32.32km and 118.55km by a pair of non-competitive neutralisation sections. The first bike starts the stage at 07.45hrs (first car - 09.40hrs) with all competitors tackling the same stage. Second stage action on Saturday, November 8th will be split into five timed sections of 35.14km, 12.05km, 33.35km, 39.95km and 108.31km by four neutralisations. The first bike will be live on stage at 07.15hrs (first car - 09.10hrs). The stage will finish in the spectacular dunes of the Sealine area of southern Qatar for the first time since the event replaced the Qatar Cross-Country Rally in 2022. Competitors will then return to the Doha Corniche and the ‘Way to the World Cup’ landmark for the post-event press conference (19.30hrs) and the podium ceremony and prize giving from 20.00hrs. The Baja is now an established event in the FIA and FIM calendars. The X-Raid Mini JCW Rally 3.01 crew of Denis Krotov and Konstantin Zhiltsov are the defending champions in the FIA Ultimate category. Last year, Anja Van Loon and Floor Maten prevailed in the Challenger section in a Can-Am Maverick X3, João Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro topped the SSV standings in a Can-Am XRS Turbo RR and Abdullah Al-Rabban and Hassan Ali Obaid guided a Nissan Patrol to Stock honours. Emirati Mohammed Al-Balooshi (KTM) recorded his second win in four years on two wheels and Saudi Arabia’s Hani Al-Noumesi (Yamaha) won the quad class. Entries close at reduced rates on October 8th with a final cut-off set for October 22nd. Full details on the generous concessions being offered by the QMMF are available in the event’s Supplementary Regulations. Entrants in the FIA categories from the GCC will be offered a shipping allowance of $3,000, with international entrants receiving $6,000. Flight ticket allowances extend to $800 per GCC crew and $1,600 for overseas competitors. FIM entrants will receive $1,500 and $3,000 for shipping, respectively, and $400 or $800 towards air travel. Accommodation in a twin room for five nights with breakfast is available to FIA and FIM competitors, in addition to 5000 QAR start money for entries received before the first cut-off (2500 QAR – FIM) and 4000 QAR (2000 QAR – FIM) thereafter until the closure date. For further event information, competitors and teams can contact Davy Patterson, Competitor Liaison Officer (CRO), Email: [email protected] and WhatsApp: +44 7980 613944. For general information about the 2025 Qatar International Baja, contact the Qatar Motor and Motor Cycle Federation (QMMF), P.O. Box 8708, Doha, Qatar, Tel: + 974 443 79885, Fax: + 974 443 79732, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] and www.qmmf.com

The Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) is set to host a series of National Team Shoot Outs at Lusail International Circuit in October and November 2025, designed to select the most promising Qatari drivers across GT, Formula 4 and Karting. These initiatives mark an important step in QMMF’s commitment to building a structured pathway for homegrown drivers to progress into international competition.The Qatar Motorsport Academy (QMA), recognised as a center of excellence for developing Qatari drivers, will play a key role in this effort by equipping talent with the resources, expertise and exposure needed to advance toward professional racing careers.The first event, the GT Drivers Shoot Out, will take place from October 4–6, 2025, with the aim of selecting a maximum of three drivers to join the QMMF GT program. The competition will be staged on Lusail International Circuit’s Grand Prix layout, using the QMMF 991 Cup car. Renowned Qatari driver Abdulla Al Khelaifi will serve as reference driver and coach for the drivers being assessed.Invited Drivers – GT Shoot OutParticipation is by invitation only, with drivers selected based on their racing records and achievements. The following seven Qatari drivers are confirmed: Faesal Al Yafey (Yaris Cup Winner), Khalid Al Maraghi (Yaris Cup Winner), Ahmad Al Emadi (Front Runner, Spa 12 Hours & Gulf 12 Hours), Taha Hassiba (F4 Middle East 2025), Ali Emadadhi (2nd Overall, QTCC Championship 2024), Ahmed Alasiri (3rd Overall, QTCC Championship 2024) and Jassim Al Thani (GT Drivers Gulf 12 Hours and Dubai 24 Hours).Participants will be evaluated across multiple dimensions, ensuring a holistic approach to talent identification. Factors include motorsport experience and achievements, lap times and consistency over runs, progression and ability to improve during the event, behaviour and attitude on and off the track, attentiveness, application, professionalism as well as overall fitness and mental readiness. Any crash during the evaluation will result in automatic elimination.Following the GT event, QMMF will also host the Karting Shoot Out at Lusail International Circuit in December 2025. As for the Formula 4 Shoot Out, it will be organized from November 3rd to November 5th in Spain. These events will follow the same invitation-based approach and evaluation criteria, ensuring that only the most qualified drivers are considered for national team selection.Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai, President of QMMF and Lusail International Circuit, said: "Through Shoot Outs we are taking steady steps towards developing the next generation of Qatari drivers. By focusing on the GT, Formula 4, and Karting categories, we are drawing a clear pathway that enables our drivers to reach international competitions, supported by the resources and expertise they need to succeed. These programs reflect our vision to establish a framework of competence and to build a sporting ecosystem capable of competing regionally and internationally, under the umbrella of the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation."Together, these programs underline QMMF’s long-term strategy to nurture Qatari talent and expand the nation’s footprint on the global motorsport stage.