Le Mans: Team Qatar successfully completed its first-ever appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Sunday, June 14, 2026, reaching the chequered flag after an impressive and determined performance in one of motorsport’s most prestigious events.
Competing at Le Mans for the first time, Team Qatar by Iron Lynx rose to the challenge of the iconic endurance race with pace and professionalism, bringing home the Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 entry after more than 320 laps of the Circuit de la Sarthe.
Starting 12th on the LMGT3 starting grid, the car shared by Abdulla Al-Khelaifi, Julian Hanses and Giuliano Alesi established itself in the fight from the opening stages of the race, immediately settling into the rhythm of the twice-around-the-clock contest. Team Qatar climbed the order of the ultra-competitive class, rising to as high as second place at one stage, a
remarkable achievement for a team making its Le Mans debut.
As the race evolved, in hot, clear conditions, the team executed its strategy perfectly, with Hanses taking over from Abdulla’s initial triple stint, before Alesi continued the momentum into the night. Navigating traffic, yellow flags, Safety Cars, and more than 30 pit stops for fuel, tyres and driver changes, Team Qatar remained firmly in contention for a strong finish.
But as the 24-hour race continued, suspension issues forced the car into the garage for repairs. Despite losing valuable time, the decision was taken to rectify the problem and continue to the finish, underlining the perseverance and resilience that have characterised the team’s efforts throughout the week.
To epitomise how gruelling this race is, eight runners from the class were forced to retire. "It was an emotional rollercoaster from beginning to end. I was very happy that we stuck to the race and made it to the finish. I'm really proud of my team-mates and everyone at Team Qatar and Iron Lynx,” said Abdulla Al-Khelaifi. “This is a historic moment for the whole team, and to get to the finish, we never gave up.
