Action during the opening round.
Doha, Qatar: With the participation of a strong line-up from the Gulf and the surrounding regions, the first round of the Qatar Drift Championship for the 2024/2025 season comes to a thrilling end at the weekend. Spectators packed the stands at the dedicated drift track of Qatar Racing Club (QRC) marking a successful start to the season.
The event, held under the patronage of QRC Chairman H E Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani, spanned two days. The first day was allocated for qualifying trials, divided into two sessions where each competitor was given a single run to complete the track based on points set by the judging panel before the round began. Each run was evaluated, and the best attempt for each competitor was taken into account.
At the end of the first round, Kuwaiti driver Ali Makhseed led the standings with an impressive score of 88.67 points, only to later fall to second place as last season’s champion, Ahmed Al Amri from Oman, took the lead with 93 points on his second attempt. This secured him the top spot in the qualifying round, earning him five points, while Makhseed received three points for second place. Kuwaiti driver Mohammed Khorshid took third place with two points, and the Omani driver Riyadh Al Mabsali claimed one point for finishing fourth.
As for the standings in the local category, Qatari driver Saud Al Attiyah led, followed by his fellow countryman Mohammed Al Jaber, while Jordanians Yazan Jabsheh and Abdullah Al Muhtaseb finished in third and fourth places, respectively.
QRC Director of Organizers Khalifa Al Khayareen awarded trophies to the podium winners.
Based on the results of the qualifying trials, drivers were placed in a tandem battle bracket held on Friday. The first round saw intense head-to-head matches, with Ahmed Al Amri, the qualifying leader, advancing after his opponent Fahad Al Jadai faced issues. Nasser Al Mutairi managed to defeat Al Jaber, and Salem Al Sarraf overcame Al Muhtaseb. Khalid Al Shafai, who placed 13th in the qualifying, succeeded in eliminating the 4th-placed Riyadh Al-Mabsali.
On the other side of the bracket, Makhseed won against Mazen Nasser, while Jabsheh outperformed Louay Abu Ayyash. Completing the lineup for the second round were Mohammed Khorshid and Hamza Al Naamnah, who defeated Mohammed Al Azmi and Saud Al Attiyah, respectively.
As a result, Jabsheh was crowned champion of the local category, with Al Shafai taking second place while the third spot on the podium went to the local qualifying leader Al Attiyah. Last season’s champion for this category, Ali Jabsheh, did not participate in this round.
In the second-round battles of this round, both Al Amri and Al Sarraf secured their spots in the first semifinal. Al Amri advanced by defeating Nasser Al Mutairi, while Al Sarraf moved forward by overcoming Khalid Al Shafai. On the other side, Makhseed advanced to the same stage after his victory over Ali Jabsheh, with Khorshid completing the semifinal lineup by winning his battle against Hamza Al Naamnah. The semifinals were thrilling, starting with a clash between last season’s champion, Ahmed Al Amri, and his runner-up, Salem Al Sarraf. Al Sarraf dominated, becoming the first to secure a place in the final, where he would face his compatriot Ali Makhseed, who won the second semifinal against Mohammed Khorshid.
Before the final, a match was held to determine third and fourth place, in which Al Amri clinched the final podium spot.
The much-anticipated final showdown between Makhseed and Al Sarraf, however, was cut short due to issues faced by Al Sarraf, who settled for second place, while Makhseed claimed victory in the first round after years of absence from competition. This victory sent a strong message to the other competitors, signaling his intent to win the title this season.
Director of Organizers at Qatar Racing Club Khalifa Al Khayareen awarded trophies to the top three finishers on the podium. Additionally, the top three in the local category were honored, with extensive coverage from Qatari and Gulf media. With the first round complete, preparations are underway for the second round, scheduled for November 7 and 8.
