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* Verstappen has won twice before at Baku street track* Win would make him first triple winner at the venue* Dutchman went from last-to-first in a fun karting race against 100 competitors last week* Mercedes’ runaway championship leader Antonelli is gunning for a third successive win* Red Bull’s Hadjar will return to racing action after recovering from wrist injury  Red Bull’s four-time champion Max Verstappen, fresh from a last-to-first karting triumph, will be looking to keep that winning feeling going by chalking up a first Formula One victory of the year at this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.The Dutchman took just 14 laps and 35 minutes to scythe through a field of 100 competitors at Red Bull’s "Max vs. 100" karting challenge at Britain’s Silverstone last week.That may have been nothing more than a fun exhibition event for the 71-times Grand Prix winner, who jokingly pointed out that it was his first win of the season.But after six podium appearances, four in the last five races, and a second-place finish in Madrid Azerbaijan’s Baku street circuit could set the stage for Verstappen to break his victory duck for the year and become the venue’s first triple winner."Madrid was a good result for us and the team has been working hard on taking this positive momentum to make sure we maximise the performance of the car in Baku,” said the 28-year-old."We've made some good steps with the car over the last few races and we have some good memories here,” he added.The Baku street track, a 6-km-long mix of flat-out blasts and tight corners, has a reputation for unpredictable races.Seven different drivers have won the nine races at the venue, with Verstappen and former Mexican team mate Sergio Perez the only two to have won there more than once.With safety cars a regular feature of the race, Verstappen’s victory hopes may well rest on Red Bull’s ability to take on the might of Mercedes. The team’s runaway championship leader Kimi Antonelli heads into the weekend gunning for a third straight win and ninth of the season.The 20-year-old Italian, who won his home race at Monza from the back of the grid and followed that up with victory in the Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring, is 81 points clear of Briton George Russell, his team mate and closest title rival, after 14 rounds.Russell and third-placed Ferrari rival Lewis Hamilton have both ruled themselves out of realistic title contention.ANTONELLI CLOSING ON TITLEA win in Baku would only tighten Antonelli’s grip on the championship and move his prospect of becoming the first Italian to win a Formula One title since Alberto Ascari in 1953 further into the realm of when rather than if.McLaren’s reigning champion Lando Norris, meanwhile, will be fired up to make up for the win that got away from him.The Briton had been leading comfortably from pole in Madrid and seemed on course for his third win from four races when an ill-timed virtual safety car went against him. He eventually had to settle for third.French racer Isack Hadjar will return to action alongside Verstappen after recovering from a wrist injury that sidelined him for the last three races. Yuki Tsunoda is set to step back into his reserve role.The Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the first of a "triple header" of races on consecutive weekends, is being run on Saturday this year with the country marking its Remembrance Day on Sunday.Organisers are also celebrating a "Decade of Racin" in Baku, with the race joining the Formula One calendar in 2016 as the European Grand Prix. This year’s race will be the 10th around the Baku street track, with the event left off the calendar during the COVID pandemic in 2020.  

 Karim Rizkallah claimed a dramatic victory in Round 3 of the Qatar Karting Championship (QKC) after edging Victor Litaudon by a razor-thin margin of just 0.031 seconds in the Grand Final at Lusail International Circuit on Tuesday night. Competing on the 1.124km Lusail track, Rizkallah completed the 12-lap race in 12 minutes 49.943 seconds, narrowly holding off Litaudon in one of the closest finishes of the season. Rizkallah also clocked the fastest lap of the race at 1:02.886.Litaudon stayed glued to the leader throughout the race and crossed the line only fractions behind in 12:49.974, while Alfie McElroy secured third place after finishing 5.320 seconds off the pace.Felice Carena delivered another consistent performance to finish fourth, with championship leader Tameem Hassiba rounding off the top five after a solid drive that helped him strengthen his position in the standings.Following three rounds, Hassiba continues to lead the championship with 60 points, having collected 25 points in Round 2 and 10 in Round 3 after his opening-round tally. Litaudon sits second overall on 54 points, while Round 3 winner Rizkallah moved closer to the top after climbing to third with 52 points.Danish Quereshi remains fourth in the standings on 44 points, while Arkadiusz Barski completes the top five with 27 points despite failing to finish in Round 3.

Danish Quereshi claimed victory in the Last Chance Race (Group 1) of Round 2 of the 2026 Qatar Karting Championship at the 1.124km Lusail Track. Quereshi completed the 12-lap race in a total time of 14:02.802 secs to finish narrowly ahead of Gabriel al-Badawi, who crossed the line just 0.290 secs behind. Liam Landy secured third place, finishing 2.581 seconds off the lead, while Maxence Boudard took fourth after ending 3.323 seconds adrift of the winner.**media[445176]**Abdulaziz al-Mohannadi completed the top five, clocking a total time of 14:09.274, 6.472 seconds behind Quereshi. 

Morocco emerged champions of the Mena Karting Nations Cup 2025, with Lebanon securing second place and Qatar finishing third overall as the championship concluded at the Lusail Karting Track Saturday.The Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) hosted championship for the third time, which saw over 170 drivers from 18 Middle Eastern and North African countries compete. An exhilarating competition culminated in a lively closing ceremony at Lusail Karting Circuit, where the champions were celebrated.Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif al-Mannai, President of the QMMF and Lusail International Circuit, said: “Hosting the Mena Karting Championship Nations Cup for the third consecutive year reflects our ongoing commitment to nurturing motorsport talent across the region. This event provided young drivers with a platform to showcase their abilities, develop their skills, and pursue their dreams within a professional environment. We are proud to see such strong participation and sportsmanship from all nations, and we extend our appreciation to FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem for his continued support in empowering youth through this championship.”The results of each category are as follows: Micro Max: In the final, Alex Moghabghab (Lebanon) led the grid, clocking 17 minutes 51.688 seconds, followed by Abdulaziz al-Sarraf (Kuwait) with 17 minutes 56.310 seconds, and Linda Hanini (Tunisia) with 17 minutes 57.174 seconds.Mini Max: In the final, Nahyl El Gahoudi (Morocco) led the grid, clocking 13 minutes 39.266 seconds, followed by Atiqa Mir (UAE) with 13 minutes 40.537 seconds, and Tony Abou Jawdeh (Lebanon) with 13 minutes 45.727 seconds.Junior Max: In the final, Nathan Kappen (UAE) led the grid, clocking 20 minutes 56.169 seconds, followed by Roslan Sryer (Algeria) with 20 minutes 58.569 seconds, and Abdulrazzaq al-Quraishi (Saudi) with 21 minutes 05.947 seconds.Senior Max: In the final, Anis Tazi (Morocco) led the grid, clocking 20 minutes 56.775 seconds, followed by Laith Mouminah (Saudi) with 20 minutes 58.119 seconds, and Sanad al-Hamawi (Jordan) with 20 minutes 59.699 seconds.DD2 and DD2 Masters: In the final of DD2, Hamza Hashisho (Qatar) led the grid, clocking 20 minutes 49.967 seconds, followed by Edwin Khneisser (Lebanon) with 20 minutes 50.229 seconds, and Ghali El Fechtali (Morocco) with 20 minutes 53.035 seconds. In the final of DD2 Masters, Nadir Kabbage (Morocco) led the grid, clocking 20 minutes 51.857 seconds, followed by Faisal Yafei (Qatar) with 20 minutes 55.760 seconds, and Salhi Sofiane (Algeria) with 21 minutes 02.850 seconds.R390 Elite Sprint: In the final, Christopher Njeim (Lebanon) led the grid, clocking 21 minutes 32.054 seconds, followed by Matthias Njeim (Lebanon) with 21 minutes 37.207 seconds, and Ahmad al-Hammadi (UAE) with 21 minutes 37.425 seconds.R390 Elite Endurance: In the final, the UAE dominated the grid, securing first place, followed by Morocco in second and Oman in third.

The MENA Karting Championship Nations Cup 2025 organised by Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) concluded an exciting day two at the Lusail Karting Circuit. The championship welcomed 173 drivers from 18 nations and featured races in different age groups, bringing together a diverse set of talent from the Middle East and North Africa. Spectators enjoyed free access to six karting categories and the vibrant Fan Zone, which offered numerous engaging activities between races. Day two of the championship featured a qualifying session followed by three Heats. These qualifying sessions began with the Micro Max category (8 - 11 years) followed by Mini Max (10 - 13 years), Junior Max (12 - 15 years), Senior Max (14+ years) and finally DD2 (15+ years), DD2 Masters (31+ years), R390 Sprint (ages 15+) and R390 Endurance (ages 15+). Following the qualifying sessions, drivers competed in three Heat sessions. These sessions allowed them to familiarize themselves with the track and formulate their strategies for the upcoming final races. The final classification for the races for each category are as follows: Micro Max: Isaac El Haouti from Morocco secured P1 with a time of 53.627 seconds, followed by Alex Moghabghab (Lebanon) with a time of 53.872 seconds, and Ayden Ouaich (Morocco) in P3 with a time of 54.028 seconds during the qualifying session. In Heat 1, Isaac El Haouti (Morocco) led the grid again, clocking 8 minutes 01.385 seconds, followed by Alex Moghabghab (Lebanon) with 8 minutes 02.987 seconds, and Abdulaziz Al Sarraf (Kuwait) with 8 minutes 03.039 seconds. In Heat 2, Isaac El Haouti (Morocco) led the grid, clocking 8 minutes 01.386 seconds, followed by Abdulaziz Al Sarraf (Kuwait) with 8 minutes 05.180 seconds, and Ayden Ouaich (Morocco) with 8 minutes 05.300 seconds. In Heat 3, Alex Moghabghab (Lebanon) led the grid, clocking 8 minutes 0.971 seconds, followed by Isaac El Haouti (Morocco) with 8 minutes 4.417 seconds, and Abdulaziz Al Sarraf (Kuwait) with 8 minutes 4.823 seconds. Mini Max: Atiqa Mir from UAE secured P1 with a time of 50.868 seconds, followed by Nahyl El Gahoudi (Morocco) with a time of 51.222 seconds, and Tammem Mustafa (KSA) in P3 with a time of 51.510 seconds during the qualifying session. In Heat 1, Atiqa Mir (UAE) led the grid again, clocking 8 minutes 30.232 seconds, followed by Nahyl El Gahoudi (Morocco) with 8 minutes 34.329 seconds, and Tammem Mustafa (KSA) with 8 minutes 37.698 seconds. In Heat 2, Atiqa Mir (UAE) once again led the grid, clocking 8 minutes 28.798 seconds, followed by Nahyl El Gahoudi (Morocco) with 8 minutes 31.196 seconds, and Tony Abou Jawdeh (Lebanon) with 8 minutes 31.536 seconds. In Heat 3, Atiqa Mir (UAE) continued her dominance by leading the grid, clocking 8 minutes 29.752 seconds, followed by Nahyl El Gahoudi (Morocco) with 8 minutes 32.100 seconds, and Tony Abou Jawdeh (Lebanon) with 8 minutes 32.705 seconds. Junior Max: Roslan Sryer from Algeria secured P1 with a time of 48.255 seconds, followed by Faris Haroun (UAE) with a time of 48.344 seconds, and Nathan Kappen (UAE) in P3 with a time of 48.363 seconds during the qualifying session. In Heat 1, Nathan Kappen (UAE) led the grid, clocking 8 minutes 58.183 seconds, followed by Roslan Sryer (Algeria) with 8 minutes 59.418 seconds, and Faris Haroun (UAE) with 8 minutes 59.906 seconds. In Heat 2, Roslan Sryer (Algeria) led the grid, clocking 8 minutes 56.037 seconds, followed by Faris Haroun (UAE) with 8 minutes 57.269 seconds, and Riyad Yousfi (Morocco) with 8 minutes 58.084 seconds. In Heat 3, Nathan Kappen (India) led the grid, clocking 8 minutes 55.909 seconds, followed by Roslan Sryer (Algeria) with 8 minutes 57.308 seconds, and Faris Haroun (UAE) with 8 minutes 59.192 seconds. Senior Max: Anis Tazi from Morocco secured P1 with a time of 48.039 seconds, followed by Sanad Al Hamawi (Jordan) with a time of 48.185 seconds, and Laith Mouminah (KSA) in P3 with a time of 48.190 seconds during the qualifying session. In Heat 1, Anis Tazi (Morocco) led the grid again, clocking 8 minutes 58.550 seconds, followed by Laith Mouminah (KSA) with 8 minutes 58.673 seconds, and Sanad Al Hamawi (Jordan) with 8 minutes 59.114 seconds. In Heat 2, Anis Tazi (Morocco) led the grid yet again, clocking 8 minutes 57.727 seconds, followed by Oscar Lambert (UAE) with 8 minutes 59.222 seconds, and Sanad Al Hamawi (Jordan) with 9 minutes 01.679 seconds. In Heat 3, Laith Mouminah (KSA) led the grid, clocking 8 minutes 59.160 seconds, followed by Anis Tazi (Morocco) with 8 minutes 59.327 seconds, and Tameem Hassiba (Qatar) with 8 minutes 59.689 seconds. DD2 and DD2 Masters: Edwin Khneisser from Lebanon secured P1 with a time of 47.703 seconds, followed by Taha Hassiba (Qatar) with a time of 47.706 seconds, and Faesal Yafei (Qatar) in P3 with a time of 47.738 seconds during the qualifying session. In Heat 1, Edwin Khneisser (Lebanon) led the grid, clocking 8 minutes 54.245 seconds, followed by Ghali El Fechtali (Morocco) with 8 minutes 54.870 seconds, and Faesal Yafei (Qatar) with 8 minutes 55.657 seconds. In Heat 2, Edwin Khneisser (Lebanon) led the grid a third time, clocking 8 minutes 54.568 seconds, followed by Taha Hassiba (Qatar) with 8 minutes 56.513 seconds, and Ghali El Fechtali (Morocco) with 8 minutes 56.663 seconds. In Heat 3, Taha Hassiba (Qatar) led the grid, clocking 8 minutes 54.108 seconds, followed by Faesal Yafei (Qatar) with 8 minutes 54.568 seconds, and Souhil Khatal (Algeria) with 8 minutes 56.307 seconds. R390 Elite (Endurance Race): UAE Team 1 secured first place with a time of 2 hours 31.779 seconds, followed by Morocco Team 2 with a time of 2 hours 25.321 seconds, and Oman Team 2 in third place with a time of 2 hours 45.422 seconds.

The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) is once again set to bring the region’s karting scene into the spotlight as it will host the MENA Karting Championship Nations Cup 2025 at Lusail Karting Circuit from October 21–25, 2025. Following the resounding success of its inaugural edition in 2023 and its return in 2024, this year’s championship promises to deliver an even bigger showcase of regional motorsport talent.The championship will feature more than 150 drivers from 18 nations across the Middle East and North Africa, with competitors representing countries including Qatar, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Iran, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Drivers will compete across six Rotax Max Challenge categories — Micro Max (ages 8–11), Mini Max (ages 10–13), Junior Max (ages 12–15), Senior Max (ages 14+), DD2 (ages 15+), and DD2 Masters (ages 31+) — alongside the R390 Sprint and R390 Endurance categories open to drivers aged 15 and above.The action-packed schedule will see administration and driver briefings open on 21 October, with practice sessions held across October 22 and 23, alongside a formal Welcome Ceremony and Gala Dinner. Racing will then take center stage from October 24–25, featuring qualifying sessions, heats, the R390 Endurance race, Pre-Finals, and Finals, culminating with the Championship Awards and MENA Nations Cup Presentation on the evening of October 25.Spectators are invited to enjoy all the high-octane action with free admission throughout the event. A dedicated shuttle service will operate between General Admission Parking and the karting track, while visitors can also experience a vibrant entertainment zone with racing simulators, a radio-controlled car circuit, PlayStation 5 gaming stations, and a 360-degree photo booth. For fans unable to attend in person, all races will be streamed live on QMMF’s official YouTube channel.Last year’s edition saw Lebanon claim the MENA Nations Cup title, with Morocco finishing second and the UAE securing third place, highlighting the depth of talent across the region. With the bar set high in 2024, this year’s championship is poised to deliver another thrilling weekend of racing and national pride.