A first for women in the region
Three months after Saudi women were legally permitted to drive in the Kingdom, they’re preparing to compete on Bahrain’s Formula 1 circuit. Joining fellow women from the GCC, the initiative is called “Yalla Banat” or “Let’s go girls!”.
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The race will feature 250 GCC and international female drivers circling around the Bahraini International Circuit. The event will be held in mid-October and it will be the first of its kind in the region.
A yet-to-be-announced well-known motor sports star is also set to participate in the rally.
The event is part of a wider festival championing female empowerment in the region.
Martina Al Qassab, chief executive for Yalla Banat expressed her delight at the potential for women in the GCC to come together. “We will have 10 Saudi women officially participating in the motorcade. As for the guests who will be attending, we will have about 50 Saudi women visiting and this number could increase,” she told Al Arabiya.
This isn’t the first race that Saudi women have competed in since the decades-long driving ban was lifted. The first women’s go-karting race was held in Saudi Arabia a month ago. Ten contestants competed for prizes worth over $2,500 in Jeddah, with Saudi national Amjad al-Umry crowned the winner.
Due to an increase in demand, the Kingdom has also a surge in the number of driving schools catering for women.
We’re excited for the race already!
For more information visit http://yallabanat.me/
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Images: Getty, Supplied
