Qatar Makes History with First-Ever Le Mans Team Entry

For 35-year-old Abdulla Al Khelaifi, the moment still doesn't feel real: he's about to become the first Qatari driver to compete at Le Mans, motorsport's most legendary endurance race.

Team Qatar officially unveiled its race car and driver lineup this week ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 13-14. The team will compete in the LMGT3 category with a Mercedes-AMG carrying race number 62, partnering with the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation and Italian racing team Iron Lynx.

"This will be a historic milestone for the QMMF and Qatar," Al Khelaifi said. "It doesn't feel real at all right now."

The achievement comes after years of preparation. Al Khelaifi won the 2025 24H Series Overall championship and took victory at the 24 Hours of Dubai. Earlier this year, he became the first Qatari driver to claim pole position in the European Le Mans Series at Barcelona, where Team Qatar finished fourth.

Le Mans isn't just any race. First held in 1923, the 24-hour event pushes drivers through day and night conditions on a 13.6-kilometer track with little room for error. Teams manage fatigue, strategy, weather changes and mechanical challenges for an entire day straight.

German teammate Julian Hanses explained the physical demands. "Every day I'm in the gym, every day I am on a bicycle," he said. "This is the preparation you need when 40 degrees is inside the car and you still have to work hard physically."

French driver Giuliano Alesi, son of former Ferrari Formula 1 driver Jean Alesi, added that mental preparation matters just as much. "You're not at your 100% when you drive at night, so there's lots of training that goes into that, not just physical, but also mental preparation."

The Ripple Effect

Behind this single team lies a bigger vision. QMMF President Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai says the federation has spent three years developing local talent and creating pathways for young Qatari drivers to compete internationally.

"Today, we have professional drivers who have a chance to compete in Le Mans," Al Mannai said. "For us, a small country like Qatar with a very big ambition to go to Le Mans and hopefully we will bring a trophy."

The program represents more than one driver's dream. It's building an entire motorsport ecosystem where young Qataris can see a professional racing career as a real possibility, not just a distant fantasy.

When Team Qatar lines up on the Circuit de la Sarthe next month alongside some of the biggest names in global endurance racing, they'll be writing a new chapter in their country's sporting story.