Qualification for the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) has concluded with reigning champions TUM securing pole position. The German team is one of six that have progressed through a multi-stage qualification process to the Grand Final on November 15.
A2RL is a demonstration of autonomous technology, accelerating AI development through competition. Eleven international teams travelled to Abu Dhabi to qualify for the second season of the autonomous racing championship.
The competition is designed to push artificial intelligence to its limits as teams from academic institutions, private companies and race teams compete for a US$2.25 million prize pool.
Unimore sets autonomous lap record of 58.87 seconds at Yas Marina Circuit
History was made during the week of qualification as teams began to consistently set sub-1-minute lap times on the North Circuit configuration of the Yas Marina track.
Italy’s Unimore team, a returning finalist, set an autonomous lap record of 58.87 seconds – seven hundredths of a second faster than the benchmark lap set by a professional human racing driver during data collection laps (59.20 seconds).
The record-setting lap was achieved during Pace Qualification, where all teams completed three separate 15-minute sessions to set their fastest possible times.
This was followed by Multi-Car Qualification, four heats of twelve laps, where performance highlights included an overtake on Unimore from TUM, securing pole position in their pursuit of back-to-back wins.
Six teams – TUM, Unimore, Kinetiz, TII Racing, PoliMOVE and Constructor – qualified for the Grand Final on November 15, 2025 at Yas Marina Circuit. Representing four countries, they will compete in a 24-lap multi-car race, the largest race of its kind. The event will also feature a Silver Race time trial for the remaining five A2RL teams.
Former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat returns for the second instalment of the Human vs AI showcase – a demonstration of machine precision versus human instinct and the evolution of AI performance.
“This season, we’re pushing the boundaries of autonomous racing even further and redefining what is possible. From week to week, we are seeing ‘machine’ capabilities rapidly approaching human performance – even surpassing some human benchmark times set during data collection. This week, Unimore has thrown down the gauntlet with a record-breaking lap time,” Stephane Timpano, CEO of ASPIRE said in a statement.
“Next month, we will witness six formidably competitive teams race for victory. Last year’s A2RL Champion TUM is in pole position, but given the intense competition during qualification, the Grand Final in November is set to be an exhilarating conclusion,” he added.
“We are proud to have demonstrated that an autonomous race car can deliver close to human capabilities. The competition was fierce, with many teams bringing extensive experience and strong technical resources. Our autonomous stack proved not only to be the fastest but also the safest, skillfully exploiting the kerbs to avoid a collision during TUM’s overtake. We can’t wait to be back on track for the Grand Final on November 15, pushing our software to the absolute limit in pursuit of first place,” Ayoub Raji, Co-Lead of Unimore Racing further explained.
The 2025 A2RL race will be the climax of the first-ever Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week (ADAW). This six-day event brings together researchers and industry experts across a series of summits, exhibitions and events. ADAW includes the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Summit, DRIFTx Exhibition and RoboCup Asia-Pacific.
A2RL was conceptualised under the vision and direction of H.E. Faisal Al Bannai, Adviser to the UAE President and Secretary General of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC). It is organised and driven by ASPIRE, part of the ATRC that is responsible for technological “Grand Challenges”. ASPIRE leads the UAE’s efforts to advance breakthrough research, foster collaborations and translate technologies into real-world applications.
