Team Qatar eyes Le Mans debut with sights set on global motorsport dominance

Team Qatar is set to make its debut at the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend, marking a significant milestone in the nation's burgeoning motorsport aspirations. This entry represents a crucial step in Qatar's strategic plan to cultivate a stronger presence and deeper involvement in global motorsports.

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The vision for us...is to have Qatari drivers competing at the highest level of motorsports, whether it's Le Mans or even Formula One.

The team has joined forces with the established Italian outfit Iron Lynx to compete in the LMGT3 category with a Mercedes-AMG entry. The driver lineup features Qatari driver Abdulla Al-Khelaifi alongside German Julian Hanses and Giuliano Alesi, son of former Formula One racer Jean. This collaboration is designed to provide a platform for Qatari talent to gain experience at the highest levels of international racing.

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Qatari drivers picked up by teams and factories - this is what we'd like to see at the end of it.

Qatar's commitment to motorsport extends beyond Le Mans. The country already hosts major events like MotoGP, Formula One, and the World Endurance Championship (WEC). Furthermore, the Qatar Investment Authority holds a stake in the Audi F1 team, and rally champion Nasser Al-Attiyah hails from Qatar. This multifaceted approach underscores a clear vision to develop Qatari drivers capable of competing at the pinnacle of motorsports, including Formula One.

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We started very, very small in our national championships and now our regional, continental and now we're pushing to the worldwide stage.

Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai, President of the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation, emphasized the long-term goal: "The vision for us...is to have Qatari drivers competing at the highest level of motorsports, whether it's Le Mans or even Formula One." He added that the initial focus is on creating excitement and developing talent from national championships to the global stage. The team also includes a Qatari engineer, further contributing to the development of local expertise. Al Mannai acknowledged that while Qatar has strong experience in rallies, circuit racing is a newer focus, with programs in single-seaters, rallies, and endurance racing being developed to nurture future international competitors.

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First of all you need to create excitement, you want people to be excited about this new prospect, and then we start recruiting people, developing them and taking them to these international events.