KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 (Bernama) -- The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) will make its international racing debut at Italy's Imola Circuit on Sept 5, marking the first overseas event for the autonomous motorsport championship.
Organised by ASPIRE, the grand challenges arm of the Advanced Technology Research Council, the race will feature up to five fully autonomous race cars based on the Dallara Super Formula SF23 competing on one of motorsport's most challenging circuits.
ASPIRE chief executive officer, Stephane Timpano said taking the championship to Imola marked a major milestone in its ambition to build the world's first international series for fully autonomous race cars.
"Few circuits carry the heritage and global standing of Imola, making it a powerful stage for our first international race. This is an important step for autonomous motorsport as both a technology platform and an emerging global sporting format," he said in a statement.
The race will feature defending champion TUM (Germany), alongside Italy's Unimore Racing and PoliMOVE, while Kinetiz of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Germany's Constructor Racing will compete in qualifying for the remaining places on the grid.
According to ASPIRE, the Imola circuit's elevation changes, narrow racing lines and limited overtaking opportunities will test autonomous driving systems under demanding race conditions.
The event follows two seasons at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, where A2RL has evolved from a four-car autonomous race into a six-car competition reaching speeds of more than 250 kilometres per hour.
Following the Imola event, A2RL will return to Yas Marina Circuit for the 2026 season finale.
-- BERNAMA
