A2RL Sets New International Benchmark with Europe’s First Five-Car Autonomous Race

IMOLA, Italy, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) completed the first-ever multi-car autonomous race in Europe at the Imola Circuit in Italy on 5 September 2026, as part of ACI Racing Weekend. Kinetiz (UAE) won the League’s inaugural international race, across 12 laps of one of the most technically demanding circuits in world motorsport.

Organised by ASPIRE, the grand challenges arm of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), A2RL brings together key players across Abu Dhabi’s autonomous mobility ecosystem, with strategic oversight from the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC). A2RL has evolved from a public testbed for AI under extreme race conditions into a competitive racing series. Imola marked the League’s first international chapter following two seasons at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, and a step towards its ambition to become the world’s first international championship for fully autonomous race cars.