The motorsport world has long remained a male-dominated affair, but women in the Middle East are riding out cultural barriers by defying norms, changing narratives, and paving the path for future generations. The Middle East has become a hotspot for the global racing community ever since the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2004. Since then, the region’s very own racers and drivers—both men and women— have shone. Racing professionally for women transformed from being a pipe dream to becoming an attainable reality in 2022 with the inauguration of Rally Jameel—the nation’s first ever all-female rally. From dominating the wheels to becoming board members, here are some of the Middle Eastern women pushing boundaries and vanquishing stigmas, one motorsport at a time. Aseel Al Hamad – Saudi Arabia An entrepreneur, interior designer, and motorsport enthusiast, Aseel Al Hamad is the first woman to be appointed as a board member of the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation. She is also one of the representatives of the International Automobile Federation (FIA)’s “Women in Motorsport Commission,” which creates programs and initiatives to encourage and inspire young girls. In 2019, ahead of the FIA’s Diriyah ePrix ‘Girls…
