ALSAYER has concluded the third season of the Toyota GR Yaris Cup Kuwait, celebrating the drivers, sponsors and partners who supported the championship through five rounds and 10 races, including a temporary suspension caused by regional developments.
The grand finale, held on November 8, 2026, at the ALSAYER Multipurpose Hall in Ardiya, was hosted by Mohamed Naser Al Sayer & Sons Est. Co. W.L.L. and Toyota Group Sales Marketing. The ceremony recognized all drivers who competed during the season, along with the sponsors and partners who contributed to the championship’s successful completion.
The season was marked by determination and commitment after racing was temporarily suspended midway through the calendar due to the regional situation. Organizers, drivers, sponsors and partners resumed the competition and completed the full season, demonstrating the continued interest in motorsport in Kuwait.
The ceremony was attended by Chairman Faisal Bader Al-Sayer; Bengt Schultz, COO; Martin Aherne, Senior Business Director for Toyota Group Sales and Marketing; Ebraheem Al Fouzan, Head of Toyota Group Service Division; Desmond Lew, Senior Business Director, Parts and Group Logistics; Bader Faisal Al-Sayer, Senior Manager of Toyota Marketing; and members of ALSAYER’s senior management. Representatives of the FIA in Kuwait, Kuwait Motor Town, the 12 season sponsors, the Ahmadi Performance team, drivers, their families and media representatives also attended.
All Season 3 drivers and sponsors were honoured in recognition of their contributions. The drivers were acknowledged for their competitive performances and sportsmanship, while sponsors were thanked for maintaining their support despite the uncertainty during the season.
Martin Aherne, Senior Business Director for Toyota Group Sales and Marketing, said the championship’s successful return after the temporary suspension reflected the commitment of all those involved.
“When an event pauses like that, there is always a real question of whether it will come back. Ours did. Not because of one decision, but because every partner chose to return with the same commitment they started with. The interest in motorsport never faded, and we closed the season in full,” he said.
Aherne thanked Toyota Motor Corporation for its continued support and the 12 sponsors for remaining committed to the championship. He also outlined the next stage of the series, announcing that, following Kuwait’s hosting of the GR Yaris Regional Cup last season, the competition will move to Lusail International Circuit in Qatar in partnership with local partners. The move, he said, will take the championship “from a national series to a regional platform.”
The Ahmadi Performance team from Toyota Group Service Division, responsible for preparing the GR Yaris race cars, received special recognition. Ebraheem Al Fouzan, Head of Toyota Group Service Division, explained the technical work involved in returning the cars to competition after the interruption. Each vehicle underwent renewed checks covering brakes, fluids, suspension and safety equipment before returning to the track.
“In a one-make championship, every driver races the same car. The result is decided by skill, not by budget. But that only works if every car is prepared to exactly the same standard, every single time,” Al Fouzan said.
He added that motorsport had become a training ground for the company’s employees, with the skills gained on the circuit benefiting its service centres and customer vehicles. Around 50 team members were involved in this season’s race operations, gaining experience in race preparation, diagnostics and trackside support.
Al Fouzan highlighted precision under pressure, the importance of data and record-keeping, and teamwork as three key lessons the service team had gained from its involvement in the championship.
The ceremony also acknowledged the contributions of Suffix Sports, which has managed the GR Yaris Cup for three seasons; FIA Kuwait; Kuwait Motor Town management; Media Market, the creative and media agency; Gemini Productions, the event partner; and the influencers and media outlets that covered the races.
Closing the speeches, Bader Faisal Al-Sayer, Senior Manager of Toyota Marketing at ALSAYER, highlighted the championship’s growing public reach. He said the latest digital and social media campaign reached almost half a million people, marking the series’ largest campaign to date.
“A race is only as big as the number of people who feel part of it. What I value most about this championship is who it brings together: young Kuwaitis taking their first steps in racing, experienced drivers, and fans of every age. That is the GR family, and it is what makes the GR brand so strong in Kuwait,” he said.
Al-Sayer confirmed that the Toyota GR Yaris Cup would return next season, adding that it would be “stronger, in new colours, and with a new level of excitement.”
With the next regional competition scheduled for Lusail International Circuit in Qatar, ALSAYER said it remains committed to developing Toyota motorsport in Kuwait and encouraging participation among different generations.
