Qatari driver Abdulla Al Khelaifi celebrates on the podium after winning the Most Valuable Driver award in the LMGT3 class.
Doha, Qatar: Team Qatar GT delivered a strong result at the opening round of the 2026 European Le Mans Series (ELMS), finishing fourth in the LMGT3 class while Abdulla Al Khelaifi was named Most Valuable Driver of the category at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, yesterday.
The team controlled much of the four-hour race but a late charge from Kessel Racing’s No.57 car denied the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation-backed outfit a podium finish, forcing them to settle for fourth place.
Starting from pole position, Team Qatar’s Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 – running in collaboration with Iron Lynx, completed 124 laps in a total time of 4:27:41.066. The car finished 16.536 seconds behind the race winner, with an average speed of 148.55 km/h. The team’s best lap of 1:43.122 came on lap 71.
Team Qatar's Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 during the 2026 European Le Mans Series at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, yesterday.
A red flag period disrupted the race, which eventually saw Forestier Racing by Panis claim overall victory.
Apart from Al Khelaifi, Team Qatar also features Julian Hanses, and Adam Christodoulou. Al Khelaifi played a key role in the team’s performance and was recognised for his efforts. The Qatari driver secured the Most Valuable Driver honour, and is joint fourth with 13 points in the drivers' standings.
The Wingfoot Award winners in Barcelona included Oliver Gray in LMP2 and Doriane Pin in LMP2 Pro-Am, alongside Al Khelaifi in LMGT3.
The series now moves to France for the 4 Hours of Le Castellet, scheduled from May 1 to 3, as Team Qatar GT looks to build on its strong start to the season.
Remaining ELMS rounds:
Paul Ricard, France – May 3
Imola, Italy – July 5
Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium – August 23
Silverstone, United Kingdom – September 13
Portimao, Portugal – October 10
