Reema Juffali, a race car driver hailing from Saudi Arabia, has been given the exclusive chance to compete in this year’s F1 Academy series as a wild-card entry for the inaugural race in Saudi Arabia. The announcement was made on Monday, revealing that the all-female single-seater championship will include wild-card entries from the host country, who will go head-to-head with the prestigious PREMA team. Juffali, the pioneering female racer from Saudi Arabia, has been hand-picked to represent her home nation when the F1 Academy visits from March 07 to 09. Her racing journey began in 2018, where she took part in the TRD 86 Cup and MRF Challenge. The following year, Juffali ventured to the United Kingdom to compete in the British Formula 4 Championship, showcasing her skills with multiple points finishes over two seasons. In 2021, she continued her pursuit of success in British single-seater racing, earning further points finishes in the GB3 Championship. Transitioning to sportscars and endurance racing in 2022, Juffali founded her very own team, known as Theeba Motorsport. She achieved a podium finish in the Dubai 24 Hours and made history by securing her first international moto race victory in the pro-am class of the International GT Open in Estoril, becoming the first woman from Saudi Arabia to do so. That same year, Juffali made headlines once again by claiming a pole position in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup, making her the first female and Saudi Arabian driver to achieve this feat. While continuing to compete in the GT World Challenge Europe, Juffali eagerly anticipates her wild-card debut in the F1 Academy. She expressed her enthusiasm and gratitude for the opportunity to represent her country and participate in the race in her hometown. Juffali hopes that her presence in the sport will serve as inspiration for Saudi fans, encouraging them to pursue their own racing dreams. For her, this is just the beginning of an incredible journey.
(Source: motorsportweek.com)
