“Women started driving in Saudi in June and my first race was in October. This is not just a big step for Saudi women, but we can also have this (women racing). I was at the right place at the right time,” says 26-year-old Reema Al Juffali, who has become a trend-setter in Saudi Arabia by taking over the wheels in a country where almost everything is prohibited for women.

It was in June last year when women in Saudi Arabia were issued driver’s license by the government, however, it took Reema four years to convince her family that she wanted to become a competitive racer. Tracing her interest in motor racing, she said, “I started racing quite late and the dream came later — to pursue racing after I studied, worked and did things I wanted to achieve in life. My passion has always been cars and then racing came along. After that, I couldn’t avoid it anymore and wanted to pursue it.”

Reema developed an interest in the sport when she started watching Formula 1 during her stay abroad while she was pursuing her higher education. “When I graduated, I gave myself a gift — a three-day course in a racing school in a formula car. It was an eye-opening experience. That was the first time I was in a race car and that was the start of it,” she said.

“Initially my family was hesitant and reluctant but they saw that the passion was there. It was four years of me thinking, talking about it, gave them time to think but as soon as I made the decision they were very supportive. Not only my family, in my first race I realised how big it was — my whole country was supporting me, something that I didn’t expect.”

While it was challenging for Reema to turn her dream into reality she suggests people to just go for their passion without thinking much. “People are still surprised and digesting that I am not just driving, but racing. The hardest thing for me was to take that first step, getting over the fear of not succeeding or not pursuing my passion. When I took that first step, the doors opened. If you want to pursue anything, just go for it.”

Talking about her first race and how everything is falling in place, she said, “In October I had my first race in a GT 86 car and finished in the middle of the grid. Then I won my first race in December. Now I am racing in single-seaters. So, everything has been happening very quickly.”

The reactions from the opposite sex watching a girl taking over the wheels “have been interesting” however, “Some races into the season, they know who I am, my driving style and what to expect. It’s all good, we have broken the barriers. I think they are scared of me. I like it that way.”

H/T: The Hindustan Times