Reema Juffali to Blaze Trails as Wildcard Entry in 2024 Formula 1 Academy Opener in Jeddah
Riyadh, The Gulf Observer: Reema Juffali, Saudi Arabia’s pioneering female racing driver, has been announced as the wildcard entry for the inaugural round of the 2024 Formula 1 Academy in Jeddah. The groundbreaking event will take place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit from March 7 to 9, marking a historic moment for Juffali and the Kingdom.
At 32 years old, Juffali expresses her honor and privilege in representing her country, especially in her hometown. “The day F1 arrived in Jeddah was the clash of both my worlds, and now I am actually going to be participating! I’m really looking forward to it and happy to share the experience with my friends and family who are based here,” she remarked. Juffali sees this as an opportunity for Saudi fans to witness a Saudi racing driver on the international stage and hopes it inspires others, saying, “This is just the beginning!”
Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, expressed his happiness over Juffali’s participation, stating, “I cannot think of a better person than her to represent Saudi Arabia in the first round of the 2024 Formula 1 Academy Series at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, which will be held during the Saudi Grand Prix (STC) events.” He sees Juffali as a symbol of inspiration for young men and women, stating, “we are excited to work with Juffali as we look forward to making history together in Jeddah.”
Reema Juffali has already carved her name in history, becoming the first Saudi female racing driver to participate in an international championship in 2018. Since then, she has achieved notable milestones, securing points in the F4 British Championship, competing in the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY in her home country, and finishing second in her class at the 2022 Dubai 24 Hours.
In addition to her racing accomplishments, Juffali founded Theeba Motorsport to enhance Saudi Arabian participation in motorsport through educational and internship programs. Her team secured victory in the 2022 International GT Open, making Juffali the first Saudi Arabian woman to win an international motor race. Furthermore, she became the first female and Saudi Arabian driver to claim pole position in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup last year.
The 2024 Formula 1 Academy series, featuring Juffali as a wildcard entry, is set to kick off in Jeddah and span multiple locations, including Miami, Qatar, Singapore, the Dutch Circuit Zandvoort, and Barcelona, Spain, showcasing the global reach and growing prominence of women in motorsports.
