The Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) on Tuesday announced the launch of the ambitious Qatar Motorsports Academy Stars Program aimed at identifying and nurturing young talent in motorsport.
The program has already attracted over 400 registrations, and buoyed by this impressive turnout, QMMF is committed to leveraging this platform to uncover promising Qatari talent and support them towards thriving careers in competitive racing.
The fully-backed program in terms of funding will run through the year while preparing the passionate youngsters for grueling motorsport action and excellence, it particularly aims at spotting champions of the future.
Speaking during the launch at the Lusail International Circuit, Amro al-Hamad, Executive Director of QMMF, said: “The program is a testament to our belief in the untapped potential of Qatar’s youth. We aim to provide a platform that identifies and nurtures the next generation of Qatari motorsport talent. This initiative is not just about racing; it’s about building future ambassadors for Qatari motorsport.” He added: “When Qatar’s current stars like Nasser al-Attiyah and Abdulaziz Al Kuwari came around it was more due to someone spotting their talent at the start. Now things are more organized and the Qatar Motorsports Academy Stars Program is designed to provide the best of opportunities to those who desire to excel.
“As you can see, today, we are seeing many kinds of different activities to help the driver, to show the skills, to give us the opportunity to bring them to the first of all national rally or Baja. This is a chance for all the young boys and girls from 15 years to 25 years old. This program is amazing because it’s open for everybody. We are really, really happy to see that 400 have already registered in a really short period.”
Nicolas Bernardi, a former French Rally champion and WRC driver, who is the Off Road and Rally Racing Activities Consultant for the program, said, “We have designed a path to try to get to the junior category in the Middle East with one of our winners. We will also have a driver, which will be in the Middle East running for classification. And we will also try to get the trophy to the Middle East, which is our target. So first, this is what we designed for 2025. Of course, in the future we would like to see a professional driver at the top level.”
He added, “As we see today, the WRC is a competition, which is a little bit unstable. And I’m sure that from 2027, the regulation will change and we will be able to start to bring maybe the junior WRC trophy to Qatar in 2027, 2028. And of course, also in the Dakar Rally there are many categories and we can have our youngsters there. This is what we want to do. We want to bring back a lot of trophies. I cannot tell you exactly what the future will be, but I’m sure that in the next five years. We will have some people knocking at the door of the professional team.”
The selection process for the program will feature a short slalom course using plastic obstacles such as cones and tecpro barriers. Participants will drive easy-to-use vehicles, competing to achieve the best times. Top qualifiers from the initial round will advance to compete on longer slalom courses. Ultimately, the 35 fastest drivers will proceed to the finals, which will be held on January 18, 2025 and January 19, 2025.
Those interested in participating can register now (https://forms.gle/bdik3hZSuZpBjjBc7) or visit our Instagram page @qma_lcsc.
In the final stages of the selection process 25 drivers, aged 15-25 years old, will be selected (including at least 15 with no prior racing experience). Moreover, 5 additional slots will be kept for young participants aged 15-18 years old. Finalists will be tested over two days on different vehicles and surfaces, and evaluated by a jury of motorsport experts.
The jury will also assess participants’ psychological and physical, to ensure a holistic evaluation of their potential.
The testing will take place at the Qatar Motorsports Academy located at Lusail International Circuit on January 17, 2025. The top three drivers will have the opportunity to: Compete in the MERC Junior Category and the Qatar National Baja Championship, based on jury selection. Participants (under 18) may join the Qatar Motorsport Academy’s training program until they are eligible for a driving license, with at least one receiving the chance to compete in the Qatar National Team.
This initiative reflects QMMF’s commitment to fostering local talent, in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, and growing the motorsport community in Qatar. By providing young individuals with expert guidance and access to professional platforms, QMMF aims to inspire the next generation of racing champions.
Entry Requirements:
• The individual should be a Qatari citizen.
• The individual should be between ages 15 and 25 (15 and 25 included).
• Entry is open for both genders, boys and girls.
• Prior motorsport experience or driving license is not required.
Amro al-Hamad, Executive Director of QMMF and Nicolas Bernardi, former French Rally champion addressing the media at the Lusail International Circuit.
