Al Faisal unveils Ferrari 296 GT3 ahead of 2026 GT season

Muscat, June 3
Omani racing driver Al Faisal al Zubair officially launched his 2026 international racing programme and unveiled his new Ferrari 296 GT3 during a special event hosted by Ferrari Oman, represented by Alfardan Motors, in Muscat on Tuesday.
The launch marked the beginning of a new chapter for Al Manar Racing as the Omani driver prepares for another campaign in international GT3 competition following one of the most successful periods of his career.
Al Faisal will begin his 2026 season this weekend at Italy's Misano World Circuit, where he will compete in a sprint race alongside Italian driver David Fumanelli with technical support from Dragon Racing. The Omani driver will race in the highly competitive Pro category.
The programme also includes rounds at Circuit Paul Ricard in France from July 17-19 and Monza in Italy from September 25-27, before concluding with the Qatar endurance race on December 11-12.
Earlier this year, Al Faisal and Al Manar Racing competed in Abu Dhabi, finishing second in the Pro category, while also taking part in the Dubai 24 Hours.
Speaking during the event, Al Faisal expressed confidence ahead of the new season.'We have officially launched our 2026 season, which consists of six rounds. The first race takes place this weekend in Italy, followed by events in France and Qatar. We hope to make a strong start and continue on the right path throughout the season,' he said.
The event also showcased Al Manar Racing's new strategic direction, commercial partnerships and digital platform developed in collaboration with Omani technology company Rihal.
Al Faisal said partnering with Ferrari represents a significant milestone both personally and for Omani motorsport.
'It is something we are proud of as Omanis. Ferrari is an iconic and historic brand, and we are honoured to be associated with it. We hope to achieve the results we are targeting this season,' he added.
Over the past 15 years, Al Faisal has established himself as one of Oman's most successful racing drivers, recording more than 110 podium finishes across various international categories.
His 2025 campaign was widely regarded as the strongest of his career after securing 15 podium finishes and becoming the first Omani driver to claim overall victory in the prestigious Dubai 24 Hours race.
Al Faisal remains the only Omani and Arab driver currently competing in the Gold category of GT racing, one of the sport's highest professional classifications.
Looking ahead to the new campaign, the Omani driver reiterated his ambitions despite the level of competition.
'The objective is always the same to fight for victory. The competition will be extremely tough because there are many strong drivers on the grid, but our ambition is to win this weekend's race and challenge for the championship,' he said.
The evening also featured the announcement of several strategic partnerships for Al Manar Racing, including Ferrari Oman, Shell V-Power Racing 98 and Rihal, alongside the unveiling of the team's new digital platform and 2026 racing calendar.
As part of his wider community initiatives, Al Faisal was also introduced as an ambassador for Dar Al Atta'a, supporting programmes aimed at assisting families in need across the Sultanate of Oman.
Hamid Halawani, Team Manager of Al Manar Racing, said the team is working to transform Al Faisal al Zubair’s sporting journey into a wider international platform. He noted that Al Faisal’s presence at the highest levels of GT racing has created an opportunity to expand Al Manar Racing’s global reach, with fans following him from around 38 countries, including the United States, Europe and Japan.
“We aim to present Al Faisal and Al Manar Racing in the best possible way, reflecting a modern and ambitious Oman on the international motorsport stage,” Halawani said.