Drivers take the start of the 94th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. PIC: AFP
Le Mans, France: History was made yesterday when Team Qatar took the start of the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race for the first time.
Representing Qatar on the international stage, the team’s three drivers - Abdulla Al-Khelaifi, Julian Hanses and Giuliano Alesi - race twice around the clock in one of the most iconic and demanding events in world motorsport.
The Team Qatar by Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG entry lined up 12th on the grid in the fiercely competitive LMGT3 category when the race got underway at 16:00 local time. Competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans marks a historic moment for Team Qatar, are wheel-to-wheel with some of the biggest manufacturers in motorsport and a field packed with world-class drivers.
More significantly, the entry represents a wider milestone for Qatari motorsport.
Qatar drivers gear up for the race.
Developed through the vision and support of the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), Team Qatar’s presence at Le Mans reflects a long-term commitment to creating opportunities for Qatari drivers to compete on the world’s biggest stage, while inspiring future generations to pursue careers in motorsport.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the ultimate test of innovation, speed, teamwork, and endurance. Teams have to constantly balance strategy, reliability and outright pace, while pit stops for tyres, fuel and driver changes continue throughout the day and night. In the challenge of multi-class racing, success comes down to negotiating traffic efficiently, minimising mistakes and maintaining relentless focus for 24 hours.
So far this week, Team Qatar by Iron Lynx has enjoyed a promising debut at the Circuit de la Sarthe. The team finished fourth in the opening Free Practice on Wednesday, and thanks to an impressive qualifying performance from Qatari driver Abdulla Al-Khelaifi, progressed to Hyperpole 1 on Thursday, but ultimately missed out on Hyperpole 2 by just 0.072 seconds.
“It was a very, very tight qualifying session,” said Al-Khelaifi. “I’m honestly very, very happy for the team as I really wanted them to have their chance to do Hyperpole. Just to compete in Le Mans is a historic achievement for Team Qatar, but to go to Hyperpole was even greater and I was really happy about it.” Yesterday, Team Qatar’s three drivers joined the other 183 competitors in the traditional Drivers’ Parade through the town centre of Le Mans. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the popular event held extra significance for Giuliano, as the parade paid tribute to his father, Jean Alesi, the legendary Formula 1 driver who started 201 Grands Prix and competed at Le Mans in 1989 and 2010. The drivers waved to fans and signed autographs as they toured the city in vintage cars.
