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Mashael Alobaidan is Saudi Arabia’s first licensed female rally driver and a motorsports pioneer who has competed in everything from the grueling Dakar Rally to electric powerboat racing. Armed with a master’s degree in systems engineering and a childhood love of quads and dirt bikes, she’s been systematically shattering barriers in a region where women weren’t even allowed to drive on public roads until 2018.

EARLY YEARS

Mashael’s introduction to motorsports wasn’t exactly subtle—her dad gifted her a quad bike as a kid, and she never looked back. Growing up, she spent her time exploring the world of buggies, dirt bikes, and motorcycles, developing an appetite for adventure that would define her career. When she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her Master of Science in Systems Engineering at Loyola Marymount University (2013-2015), she was riding a Ducati as a street bike and continuing to hone her off-road skills. Her passion for exploration extended beyond racing; she’d seek out hot springs, waterfalls, and scuba diving spots, always searching for the next adrenaline rush.

OTHER INTERESTS

Beyond the track, Alobaidan holds a master’s degree in systems engineering and has worked as a Business Development Manager in the Sport Sector at Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment. She’s a certified scuba diver and uses her hands-on experience as an athlete to help shape the future of sports investment in the Kingdom. She’s built a career that balances technical expertise with her insatiable need for adventure, proving that you can be as comfortable in a boardroom as you are careening through the desert at high speed.

EARLY SUCCESS

In 2020, Mashael witnessed the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia and was immediately hooked. Soon after becoming the first female licensed rally driver in Saudi Arabia, she wasted no time proving she belonged. She placed first in the T3 category at the Sharqiyah Rally and finished fifth overall out of 19 racers—an impressive debut that sent a clear message. In 2021, she finished seventh in the T3 category at Baja España Aragón, making her the first Saudi female to race in an international competition outside the Middle East. She competed alongside co-driver Ashley Garcia and later Jacopo Cerutti, steadily building her credentials on the global stage. By late 2021, she finished second in the T3 category at the Hail International Rally and placed 12th overall, a performance that prepared her for the biggest challenge of her career: Dakar.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2020: First female in Saudi Arabia to obtain a rally license
• 2021: First Saudi female to compete in an international rally outside the Middle East (Baja España Aragón, 7th in T3 category)
• 2021: First place, T3 category, Sharqiyah Rally; 5th overall
• 2021: Second place, T3 category, Hail International Rally; 12th overall
• 2022: Competed in Dakar Rally (Ha’il to Jeddah), finishing in top 20
• 2023: Competed in Dakar Rally, finishing 24th in T3 category after 17-hour penalty due to car issues
• 2024: Won season opener of UIM E1 World Championship in Jeddah with Aoki Racing Team alongside Spanish pilot Dani Clos
• 2025: Won E1 World Championship race in Jeddah with Aoki Racing Team

INSPIRATIONS

Alobaidan has said she realized early on that she was “unlocking doors and breaking down barriers” with her achievements. Her drive comes from a desire to set an example for women in the region, showing them that it’s possible to balance a successful career with a passion for motorsports. Watching the Dakar Rally on home soil in 2020 was a turning point—she saw what was possible and decided she wanted in. Her father’s early gift of a quad bike planted the seed, but her own relentless curiosity and love of exploration made her into the trailblazer she is today.

REPUTATION

Mashael is widely regarded as a pioneer for women in Saudi motorsports and the broader Gulf region. She’s known for being the first Arab female driver from the GCC to participate in the Dakar Rally and has become a symbol of the country’s rapid social transformation. Her participation alongside fellow Saudi racer Dania Akeel has made headlines internationally, with the two often referred to as “sheroes” accelerating change in the Kingdom. Sponsored by Saudia Cargo and supported by South Racing Middle East and later Aoki Racing Team, she’s proven herself not just as a symbol, but as a serious competitor who can handle the world’s toughest rally-raid events. Her recent success in electric powerboat racing shows her versatility and willingness to take on new challenges.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

With a win under her belt in the E1 World Championship and continued involvement with Aoki Racing Team, Mashael is positioned to be a consistent competitor in electric powerboat racing. She remains active in shaping Saudi Arabia’s sports investment landscape through her role at the Ministry of Investment, using her platform to inspire the next generation of female athletes in the region. Her trajectory suggests she’ll continue competing at the highest levels while advocating for greater opportunities for women in motorsports.

REFERENCES

Women’s Forum – Mashael Alobaidan Speaker Profile
Racing to Equality With Reema Juffali and Mashael Al Obaidan – FII6
Saudi Rally Queen: Mashael Al-Obaidan’s Off-Road Adventures
LEAP 2026 – Mashael Al Obaidan Professional Rally Driver
Arab News – Saudi Arabia’s Mashael Alobaidan and Dani Clos Win E1 World Championship
UTV Driver – Meet the First Saudi Woman to Compete Outside the Middle East
Aoki Racing Team Official Website
Stat Times – Saudia Cargo Sponsors Mashael Alobaidan
Freightweek – Saudia Cargo Sponsors Mashael Al Obaidan
Arab News Japan – Two Young Saudi ‘Sheroes’ Accelerate Dakar Rally Preparations
Powerboat News – Team Blue Rising Confirms Peeters Stays, Adds Al-Obaidan
Wikipedia – 2023 Dakar Rally
Arab News – Saudi Female Racer Gears Up for Dakar Rally Challenge
Destination KSA – Shifting Gears: The Racers
UAE Moments – Exclusive Interview: Meet Saudi Arabia’s First Female Rally Driver
Dakar.com – Saudi Women Revving Up for the Dakar
Zawya – Saudi Female Rally Driver Mashael Al-Obaidan Paves Way for Women to Follow
Saudi Sports for All – B2B Lounge
Asharq Al-Awsat – Mashael AlObaidan: Hail Int’l Rally Prepared Me for Dakar 2021
Wikipedia – 2024 E1 Series Championship