Dania Akeel

Dania Akeel didn’t touch a motorbike until she was 30, but within six years, she became the first woman to win an FIA World Cup rally title and the first Saudi woman to stand on a Dakar podium stage—proving that starting late doesn’t mean finishing behind.

EARLY YEARS

Born September 26, 1988, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Dania Akeel spent her formative years split between continents. She moved to the UK during middle school, where she pursued academics with the same focus she’d later bring to racetracks. At Royal Holloway, University of London, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Modern History and Politics—subjects that taught her to analyze power structures and challenge conventions, skills that would prove unexpectedly useful when breaking into one of the world’s most male-dominated sports. She followed that with an MBA in International Business from Hult International Business School in the United States, graduating in 2016 before returning to Saudi Arabia to begin what she thought would be a traditional career in consulting.

Nothing in her childhood hinted at motorsports. No karting, no wrenches, no posters of racing legends on bedroom walls. Her path to the track wouldn’t begin for another two years, and when it did, it would start with two wheels, not four.

OTHER INTERESTS

Beyond the cockpit, Akeel is a published author. Her book Freefall chronicles her early life, professional beginnings, superbike racing career, and the brutal 2019 on-track accident in Bahrain that forced her to step back and rebuild—not just her body, but her relationship with herself and the risks she was willing to take. The book is raw, reflective, and unflinchingly honest about the mental toll of high-speed crashes and recovery.

She’s also a motivational speaker, addressing corporate audiences about her journey as the first Saudi woman to earn a motorcycle circuit racing license. Balancing racing with consulting work, she’s built a career that refuses to fit into a single lane, much like her driving style.

EARLY SUCCESS

At 30, Dania Akeel got her hands on a motorbike for the first time and felt something click—freedom, exhilaration, the addictive thrill of speed. She started with local events, then quickly moved to the UAE National Sportsbike Superseries at Dubai Autodrome, racing a Ducati Panigale. In 2019, her first full season, she claimed Rookie of the Year in the Ducati Cup. By the end of that season, she won the final race, securing the overall championship title.

Then came the crash. Competing in Bahrain’s BMR600 Championship on a Kawasaki ZX6R, Akeel suffered an on-track accident that left her injured and the season incomplete. It was the kind of moment that ends careers—or transforms them. She chose transformation, documenting the experience in Freefall and emerging with a new plan: rally racing.

COVID-19 had limited superbike opportunities anyway, so in 2020, she pivoted to rally cars. The switch required relearning everything—terrain, navigation, endurance—but Akeel adapted fast. By 2021, racing in the FIA Cross-Country Bajas World Cup T3 category, she won the championship outright, taking first place in Saudi Arabia and Jordan, second in Hungary, third in Poland, and fourth in Italy. She became the first woman ever to win an FIA rally world title, and the first Saudi woman to participate in—and win—an international rally.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2019: Rookie of the Year, UAE National Sportsbike Superseries Ducati Cup; overall championship winner.
• 2021: Winner, FIA Cross-Country Bajas World Cup T3 category—first woman globally to win the title.
• 2022: First Saudi woman to finish the Dakar Rally; 8th in T3 category out of 48 competitors; first Arab woman in the top 10 of her category.
• 2022: Second place, FIA T3 Baja World Cup.
• 2024: Second place, W2RC Argentina; third place, Rallye du Maroc.
• 2025: First Dakar stage win in T3 class; winner, Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge; wins in Ha’il and Qatar (Ultimate class, Toyota Hilux, Middle-East and Saudi Baja Championships).
• Multiple wins: T3 category champion in every Saudi Rallies Championship competition over three consecutive seasons (approximately 2022–2024).
• Historic firsts: First Saudi female to hold a motorcycle circuit racing license; first Saudi female superbike and rally driver.

INSPIRATIONS

Akeel has not publicly identified specific racing heroes or mentors who inspired her entry into motorsports. Her motivation appears to be internal—a late-blooming passion sparked by the visceral experience of riding a motorbike for the first time at 30, rather than childhood idols or family tradition.

REPUTATION

In an industry that worships early starts and generational talent, Dania Akeel is an anomaly—and the motorsports world has noticed. Her rapid progression from complete novice to world champion has earned respect, though her co-driver Stephane Duplé is candid about her development: “Dania still has a lot to learn,” he’s said, noting that he believes he can bring “serenity and calm in the car.” Still, he was motivated enough by her potential to commit to a full season, saying, “When Dania offered me a seat for a full season, it was super motivating. The sporting challenge is what made me decide.” He’s publicly stated that a podium finish at Dakar is within reach.

Media coverage frames her as a barrier-breaker and history-maker, focusing on her firsts as a Saudi and Arab woman. The Saudi motorsports federation and Dakar organizers have taken notice, inviting her to official events. She races for BBR Motorsport at Dakar and Wevers Sport in the World Rally-Raid Championship, partnerships that signal serious investment in her trajectory.

Her reputation isn’t built on raw speed alone—it’s built on grit, adaptability, and the willingness to start over when necessary. She’s not the flashiest driver on the grid, but she’s one of the most determined.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Akeel continues to compete with BBR Motorsport at Dakar and Wevers Sport in the World Rally-Raid Championship. With a Dakar stage win and an Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge victory already under her belt in 2025, and dominant performances in Ha’il and Qatar in the Ultimate class driving a Toyota Hilux, her trajectory is clear: podium finishes at the sport’s biggest events. Her co-driver believes a Dakar podium is possible in upcoming editions, and given her track record of exceeding expectations, betting against her would be unwise.

She balances racing with consulting and speaking engagements, showing no signs of slowing down in either arena. For someone who started racing at 30, Akeel is just getting warmed up.

References:

Dakar.com Official Competitor Profile
Dania Akeel: Breaking Down Barriers – Jameel Motorsport
Dania Akeel Athlete Profile – Jameel Motorsport
Dania Akeel Official Website
World Rally-Raid Championship Competitor Profile
Dania Akeel – Red Bull Athlete Page
Dania Akeel Career Portrait – Red Bull
Dania Akeel Team Member Bio – Forbes Middle East Events