Saudi women set to make history at Dakar Rally

Mashael Al-Obaidan and Dania Akeel are set to make history next month when they line up for the start of the 2022 Dakar Rally.

Saudi female rally drivers, Mashael Nasser Al Obaidan and Dania Akeel Source: Reuters

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The duo will become the first female drivers from Saudi Arabia to compete in the Dakar Rally, with the 44th edition of the race scheduled to commence in Ha'il on January 1.

Al-Obaidan and Akeel will be required to drive as much as 600km a day if they are to complete the gruelling 8,375-kilometre endurance rally which traverses the toughest of desert terrain.

What makes the pair’s accomplishment even more incredible is the fact that women were not allowed to drive cars in Saudi Arabia until a ban was lifted in 2018.

"To drive on this famous event in Saudi is a dream come true," Al-Obaidan said.

"I'm doing what I love and I'm receiving so much support from people who say that what I am doing is inspiring a lot of people.

"When I finished seventh on the hardest round in the (FIA World Cup for Cross Country Bajas) series, against competitors who had been competing in the sport for more than 15 years, I knew I could do this.

"I soon realised that I was unlocking doors and breaking down barriers with my achievements. We are paving the way for females to understand the journey we are taking and to join us."

Akeel spent last year recovering from a fractured spine and multiple pelvic breaks following a crash on the track in Bahrain but that did not put her off racing as she won the overall title at the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Bajas.

"Those months after the crash were painful, but in some ways, I was lucky because I didn't need surgery. In motorsport, you accept the risks and ultimately you have to make a choice," Akeel said.

"You have got to respect the Dakar. It's the longest rally on the calendar and Saudi is an incredible location. You can cross 200km and the landscape, terrain and weather can change three or four times."