CONSUMER NEWS
Saudi female driver Juffali set for British F3 Championship
Jun 26, 2021 12:01 PM
Saudi female driver Reema Juffali will be competing on one of motorsport s most iconic tracks over the coming days and the 29-year-old will pay tribute to her Saudi heritage by wearing a personalized helmet....
Saudi female driver Reema Juffali will be competing on one of motorsport’s most iconic tracks over the coming days – and the 29-year-old will pay tribute to her Saudi heritage by wearing a personalized helmet.
As part of the Douglas Motorsport team, Juffali is taking part in the second stage of the British F3 Championship, where she will be aiming to build on her performance in the opening rounds which took place last month.
With the event taking place at Silverstone, one of the world’s most renowned motorsport venues, Juffali is relishing the prospect of competing on the track for the very first time.
“It’s the home of British motorsport and an iconic track, so to be racing here, and hopefully putting on a good show, is very exciting for me,” she explained.
“With the way the track is, the grip level gives me confidence in the car. Of all the tracks I’ve visited, this is the one I’m most excited about racing on and I can’t wait to get out there.”
While Silverstone may be a long way from Juffali’s birthplace of Jeddah, the helmet she will be wearing will ensure she feels that little bit closer to home, she added.
“I’m really excited about it and it’s been a long time coming,” said Juffali.
“I wanted to incorporate a bit of myself, and Saudi, into the helmet. There is some green, and orange to represent the desert. I also have a symbol on the top, called Theeba, which is a she-wolf, and that’s something my friends used to call me when I was a teenager. I added my name in both English and Arabic.
"I came up with the base design and then I sent loads of photos to the designer. In the past, I haven’t really liked a lot of the helmets that were designed for me, and they didn’t always go to plan. I had the same design for two years in Formula 4 so now I’m really happy with what we’ve come up with because it’s very representative of me, it feels authentic which is hugely important to me," she stated.
Juffali’s Saudi heritage plays a pivotal role in her life and, as the country’s most high-profile female racing driver, she has a huge opportunity to inspire young females who might wish to follow in her footsteps.
"It’s very important and something extremely close to my heart," remarked the ace driver.
"Growing up in Saudi, I didn’t have many role models in the public sphere who I could look up to, and now there are so many. People can connect with other people who are like them and from a similar background, whether that’s a racing driver, an artist or something else entirely," she stated.
"I think it’s crucial to have somebody like that and I think I’m in a very fortunate position to be able to inspire youngsters," she added.
Turning her attention back to the upcoming event, Juffali says she has left no stone unturned ahead of her return to action at the British F3 Championship.
For any professional athlete, preparation is key, and she is confident of reaping the rewards out on track.
"It’s been good. We’ve been trying to put in as much time as we can, whether that’s in a simulator or on a track, just so I stay fresh and get as much experience as I can prior to the race weekend," she added.-TradeArabia News Service