- Location: Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Saudi Arabia, and Lusail International Circuit, Qatar
- Organisation: ALTAWKILAT Motorsport, under Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation sporting regulations
- Status: Six-round 2026 season confirmed
- Who is affected: Drivers, motorsport teams, enthusiasts and aspiring racers across Saudi Arabia and the GCC
- Business impact: More competitive racing activity supports the region’s growing motorsport ecosystem
- What’s next: The opening round is scheduled for October 1 at Jeddah Corniche Circuit
The Motor Mania Track Challenge 2026 is set to return this October with an expanded calendar across Saudi Arabia and Qatar. ALTAWKILAT Motorsport has confirmed the time-attack series as an official support category for the Aramco F4 Saudi Arabian Championship, with the opening round scheduled at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on October 1.
The 2026 edition will feature six rounds, four in Jeddah and two at Lusail International Circuit in Qatar. The move gives drivers more opportunities to gain competitive track experience while adding another layer to the growing motorsport calendar in the Gulf.
What is the Motor Mania Track Challenge?
Unlike a traditional wheel-to-wheel GT championship, the Motor Mania Track Challenge uses a time-attack format. Drivers compete against the clock, making speed, consistency and precision key parts of the competition.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the 2026 championship will have five competition categories and will be limited to 35 drivers per round. The format is designed to accommodate a broad selection of cars and drivers rather than restricting participation to a single type of racing machine.
ALTAWKILAT Motorsport’s Head of Commercial, Pierre Herrenschmidt, said the series is intended to create more opportunities for drivers to compete and develop their skills in a professional environment.
The 2026 expansion also takes the championship beyond Saudi Arabia for its final two rounds, strengthening its regional focus.
The confirmed 2026 calendar includes:
- October 1: Jeddah Corniche Circuit
- October 8: Jeddah Corniche Circuit
- October 31: Jeddah Corniche Circuit
- November 6: Jeddah Corniche Circuit
- December 9: Lusail International Circuit
- December 13: Lusail International Circuit
Registration is expected to open with limited grid places available for each round.
Why Jeddah is an important starting point?
The championship will begin at one of the region’s best-known racing venues.
Jeddah Corniche Circuit stretches for about 6.176 kilometres and has 27 corners, including 16 left-hand and 11 right-hand turns. The Saudi Press Agency has described it as the world’s longest and fastest street circuit, while the circuit’s official information lists an average speed of around 252.8 km/h.
The track has hosted Formula 1 since 2021 and has become an important part of Saudi Arabia’s international motorsport calendar.
For Motor Mania participants, competing at such a demanding venue offers a significant step up from ordinary track-day driving. A time-attack format also places greater emphasis on a driver’s ability to find a clean, consistent lap rather than relying on overtaking battles.
The series is part of a bigger Saudi racing push
Motor Mania is not operating in isolation.
The series will run alongside the Aramco F4 Saudi Arabian Championship, which is entering its third season in 2026. ALTAWKILAT Motorsport has expanded that championship to six rounds between October and December, with races taking place at Jeddah Corniche Circuit and Lusail International Circuit.
That creates a broader ladder for motorsport participation, from drivers building experience in track-based competitions to those pursuing professional single-seater racing.
ALTAWKILAT Motorsport has also positioned its wider F4 programme around driver development. The company’s 2026 programme includes opportunities connected to engineering, mechanics, strategy, hospitality and other roles within the racing paddock, showing that the growth of motorsport extends beyond drivers alone.
Why Qatar has been added to the calendar?
The final two Motor Mania rounds will take place at Lusail International Circuit, giving competitors the chance to race outside Saudi Arabia without leaving the Gulf region.
Lusail is a major motorsport venue in its own right. The circuit is FIA Grade 1 and FIM Grade A and regularly hosts Formula 1, MotoGP and FIA World Endurance Championship events.
For Saudi and GCC drivers, racing at Lusail can provide exposure to another international-standard circuit while helping build stronger links between motorsport communities in neighbouring countries.
It also fits a wider regional trend of Gulf countries using major racing venues to develop local participation alongside international events.
Why It Matters?
The expansion is relevant to UAE residents because it adds another competitive motorsport option within relatively easy regional reach.
For drivers and car enthusiasts in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the championship could provide:
- More opportunities to gain formal circuit experience
- A professionally organised alternative to casual track days
- Greater exposure to different racing environments
- More cross-border competition within the GCC
- Additional opportunities for teams, mechanics and motorsport businesses
The development also supports a wider shift in Gulf motorsport, where major international races are increasingly being complemented by regional and grassroots programmes.
What happens next?
The first Motor Mania Track Challenge round is scheduled for October 1 at Jeddah Corniche Circuit, followed by three more Jeddah rounds before the championship moves to Qatar in December.
Registration details and information on the five competition categories are expected to be released by the organisers. For now, the confirmed calendar signals a larger season for a series that is still relatively new to the regional racing scene.
FAQs
When does Motor Mania Track Challenge 2026 start?
The 2026 season is scheduled to begin on October 1, 2026, at Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia.
Is Motor Mania GT a confirmed 2026 championship?
The officially confirmed 2026 programme is the Motor Mania Track Challenge, which uses a time-attack format. Claims about a separate 12-car Motor Mania GT championship with Ferrari, McLaren, Radical and Ginetta entries have not been independently confirmed by the official Saudi sources reviewed for this article.
How many rounds will Motor Mania have in 2026?
There will be six rounds in total: four at Jeddah Corniche Circuit and two at Lusail International Circuit in Qatar.
Who can take part?
The series is designed for a broad range of drivers and cars, with five competition categories and a maximum of 35 drivers per round. Registration details are expected from the organisers.
Why is Qatar included?
Adding Lusail to the calendar expands Motor Mania’s reach across the GCC and gives participants experience at another internationally recognised motorsport venue.
Motor Mania Track Challenge 2026 is shaping up to be a bigger regional racing programme, with six rounds, five competition categories and events in both Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Its time-attack format gives drivers another route into competitive circuit racing, while its partnership with the Aramco F4 Saudi Arabian Championship places it within a wider driver-development ecosystem.
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