Tribune News Network
Doha
Amid the largest participation this season from Qatar’s drift champions, Gulf drivers, and regional talents, the fourth and penultimate round of the 2024-25 Qatar Drift Championship concluded with breathtaking battles. The championship is held under the gracious patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani, Chairman of Qatar Racing Club, and attended by His Excellency Sheikh Jabor bin Khalid Al Thani, the club’s director.
The competition kicked off on Thursday with two-hour qualifying sessions. Each driver was given two attempts on the track, with their best score recorded. These sessions concluded with Ali Makhsid, the winner of the opening round, leading the standings. He outperformed Salem Al Sarraf, who had won the previous two rounds, while Ahmed Al Amri secured third place after missing the last two rounds. Ihab Falah, runner-up in the previous two rounds, finished in fourth.
In the local category, Abdullah Al Muhtasib topped the standings, surpassing Saud Al Attiyah. Yazan Al Jabsha, the category leader, came in third, followed by Khalid Al Shafai in fourth.
Double victory for Jabsha and Al Muhtasib in the
local category
Based on the results of the qualifying sessions, the top 16 drivers advanced to the head-to-head knockout stage. The first round featured only six matchups instead of eight, as Nasser Al Mutairi and Khalid Al Shafai were unable to compete due to issues with their cars. As a result, both Mohammed Khorshid and Abdullah AlMuhtasib advanced directly to the second round.
In the opening round, top qualifier Ali Makhsid overcame Mohammed Jaber, while Mazen Nasser defeated Mesyer Abu Shaiba. Similarly, Ihab Falah secured a spot in the second round after beating Louay Abu Shaiba. On the other side of the bracket, there was a major upset as the championship leader and double-round winner Salem Al Sarraf was eliminated in the first round by Fahad Al Jadaei. Local category leader Yazan Al Jabsha defeated Saud Al Attiyah, while Ahmed Al Amri completed the lineup for the second round by beating Saud Al Abd Al Hadi.
In the second round, both Ali Makhsid and Mohammed Khorshid advanced to the semi-finals, with Makhsid defeating Mazen Nasser and Khorshid triumphing over Ihab Falah. Yazan Al Jabsha joined them in the semi-finals by beating Fahad Al Jadaei, while Ahmed Al Amri completed the quartet after defeating Abdullah Al Muhtasib in their head-to-head matchup.
The local category saw Yazan Al Jabsha crowned champion for the fourth consecutive time, securing the season title regardless of the final round’s results. His teammate from the Brothers Team, Abdullah Al Muhtasib, achieved his first-ever podium finish in the championship by taking second place. Qatari driver Saud Al Attiyah claimed third place.
Makhsid, Al Amri, and Khorshid crowned
champions of Round Four
The semi-finals of the fourth round delivered a thrilling spectacle. The first showdown between Yazan Al Jabsha and Ahmed Al Amri ended in a tie, prompting the judges to order a rematch. Al Amri emerged victorious in the replay, advancing to his first final of the season. In the second semifinal, Ali Makhsid defeated Mohammed Khorshid to secure his spot in the final.
Khorshid went on to claim third place after defeating Yazan Al-Jabsha in the battle for the final podium spot. This marked Khorshid’s second podium of the season, having previously finished third in the second round.
The excitement reached its peak in the final, where Ali Makhsid faced Ahmed Al Amri. Makhsid clinched his second victory of the season, adding to his win in the opening round, while Al Amri settled for second place.
HE Sheikh Jabor bin Khalid Al Thani, Director of Qatar Racing Club, awarded the top three winners on the podium. The winners of the top three positions in the local category were also honoured during the ceremony, which saw significant attendance from Qatari and Gulf media outlets.
With the conclusion of this penultimate round, the championship enters a three-month hiatus before returning for the final round scheduled for March 2025.