LUSAIL (Qatar): Entries are now open for the 2026 Qatar International Rally, which takes place on February 4th-7th. The event will be the second round of the 2026 FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC).
The Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) has unveiled a revised itinerary and format for the most popular round of the regional rally series. It takes its place in a series that also includes gravel rounds in Oman, Jordan, Cyprus and Saudi Arabia and an asphalt surface event in Lebanon.
In a revised route of 704.90km, the QMMF has planned 225.16km to be timed competitively against the clock.
In a compact format to alleviate additional costs for competitors, administration checks will take place on Tuesday, February 3rd from 10.00hrs at the Lusail International Circuit with the day also including a permitted recce of the opening super special stage and the staging of the pre-event press conference in the media centre from 18.00hrs.
Competitors will be permitted a full day of reconnaissance of the gravel desert stages on Wednesday, February 4th with scrutineering scheduled in tandem at Lusail from 09.00hrs.
