Reem Al Aboud

Reem Al Aboud is a Saudi racing driver who became the first and youngest Saudi woman to test drive a Formula E Gen 2 car, setting acceleration records that outpaced Formula 1 benchmarks. Currently competing for Jameel Motorsport Toyota Gazoo Racing, she’s racked up more than 18 podiums in her debut season while inspiring a generation of female racers across the Gulf.

EARLY YEARS

Born around 2000 or 2001, Reem Thamer Al Aboud grew up in Riyadh surrounded by the roar of engines and the smell of burning rubber—not literally in her backyard, but close enough. Her father, Thamer, was a racing enthusiast who regularly attended races and even competed in some himself. In 2011, he took his daughter to a Formula race at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, and that was it. The switch flipped. Al Aboud was captivated by the speed, the precision, the sheer adrenaline of motorsports, and she wanted in.

There was just one massive problem: she was a girl in Saudi Arabia, a country where women weren’t even allowed to drive on public roads until 2018. While her family valued discipline and athleticism—they were the kind of people who surrounded themselves with stories of victories and personal bests—the broader society had other ideas about what women could and couldn’t do. Racing? That was practically a punchline. But Al Aboud didn’t care. She started karting training after that 2011 trip to Abu Dhabi, long before it was legal or culturally acceptable, keeping her dream alive through sheer stubbornness and familial support.

Her family wasn’t just tolerant of her ambitions; they were essential to them. While she pursued her passion for cars and mechanics, Al Aboud also enrolled at the Business and Technology University in Riyadh to study Advertising and Creative Design. She wasn’t just betting everything on racing—she was building a foundation, hedging her bets the smart way. But make no mistake: racing was always the endgame.

OTHER INTERESTS

Beyond the racetrack, Al Aboud’s public life is surprisingly private. Her studies in Advertising and Creative Design suggest an interest in visual storytelling and strategic communication—skills that translate well to personal branding in the hyper-visible world of motorsports. She’s trained on simulators in Le Mans, France, which speaks to her commitment to honing her craft on an international stage. But hobbies, side projects, charitable work? If they exist, she’s keeping them close to the vest. In interviews, she’s all business: racing, barriers, and breaking records.

EARLY SUCCESS

When the driving ban for women was lifted in Saudi Arabia in 2018, Al Aboud wasted zero time. She’d been training in karting for years; now she could finally compete officially. She began racing on tracks in Riyadh, and her first international outing came at Bahrain International Circuit, where she finished seventh overall in a field of 15 racers. She was the only woman. She was the only Saudi. And she was damn proud of it.

“I was the only female among 15 other racers and the only Saudi,” she said. “I got P7 overall but I was happy to represent my country in the motorsport for the first time.”

The stares came immediately. Men at the track doubted her. Spectators questioned whether she belonged. But Al Aboud had trained rigorously, worked with coaches like Captain Saeed Al Mouri at Nissan Saudia, and logged countless hours on simulators. She wasn’t there to make a political statement—she was there to win. And win she did. She took first place in the Saudi Time Attack at Reem International Circuit in Riyadh and claimed victory in the second Saudi Women Karting Championship. She also topped the second and third rounds in the women’s category at Al Reem Circuit, setting new records twice in the process.

“They thought I was weak and would not be able to excel in such a daring sport,” she said, “but with time I showed them what I was capable of.”

Al Aboud also competed in the GCC Young Driver’s Academy, finishing in the top 10, and became the only female in Saudi Arabia’s IAME X30 Kart challenge. The girl who’d been captivated by racing as a preteen was now shattering expectations as a teenager.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2024: First place, Autocross Round 1, G1 category (Toyota GR86), Ladies Cup, Jeddah[2].
• 2024: First place, Time Attack Round 1, G1 category (Toyota GR86), Jeddah[2].
• 2024: First place, Time Attack Round 1, G1 category (Toyota GR86), Al Ahsa[2].
• 2024: Second place, Autocross Round 1, G1 category (Toyota GR86), Jeddah[2].
• 2024: Third place, Time Attack Round 1, G1 category (Toyota GR86), Jeddah[2].
• 2023: First place, Autocross Round 2, G1 category (Toyota GR86), Jeddah[2].
• 2023: First place, Autocross Round 3, G1 category (Toyota GR86), Riyadh[2].
• 2023: First place, Time Attack Round 3, G1 category (Toyota GR86), Riyadh[2].
• 2023: Second place, Time Attack Round 3, G1 category (Toyota GR86), Ladies Cup, Riyadh[2].
• 2023: Second place, Time Attack Round 2, G1 category (Toyota GR86), Jeddah[2].
• 2019: First and youngest Saudi woman to test drive a Formula E Gen 2 car, Ad Diriyah E-Prix, Riyadh; set 0-100 km/h record of 2.49 seconds, beating the previous 2.64-second mark and surpassing Formula 1 acceleration benchmarks[1][3][4].
• 2019: First Saudi racer (male or female) to test a Formula E car[4][5].
• Undated: First place, Saudi Time Attack, Reem International Circuit, Riyadh[3].
• Undated: First place, second Saudi Women Karting Championship[3].
• Career: More than 18 podiums in first season with Toyota Gazoo Racing; only female on Saudi Arabia’s inaugural five-person team[2][4].

INSPIRATIONS

Al Aboud credits her father, Thamer, as the spark that ignited her racing career. His love for the sport, his participation in races, and that 2011 trip to Abu Dhabi gave her a front-row seat to the world she wanted to conquer. Captain Saeed Al Mouri, her coach at Nissan Saudia, also played a pivotal role in her development, guiding her through the technical and mental rigors of racing electric vehicles and high-performance machinery. Beyond individuals, the 2011 Formula race at Yas Marina Circuit stands as the moment that changed everything—the event that convinced a young girl she could do this, even when the world told her she couldn’t.

REPUTATION

Within the motorsports community, Al Aboud is regarded as a trailblazer and an icon of determination. She’s been called one of the brightest stars in Saudi racing, earning elite status not through hype but through consistent, measurable performance. Media coverage has been overwhelmingly positive, with outlets from the Gulf and beyond profiling her as a pioneering force in a sport still dominated by men. She’s known for her vision, extraordinary driving skills, precision, and quick reflexes—qualities that have earned her respect on the track, even from those who initially doubted her.

Her impact goes beyond lap times. After her first hot laps in a Formula E car in 2018, women across Saudi Arabia started reaching out, asking how they could get involved in motorsports. “When I did that, a lot of women came up to me and asked where and how to start in the sport,” she said. “And now we have a lot of Saudi women excelling in the sports.” She didn’t just break barriers—she opened a floodgate.

Al Aboud has become a symbol of what’s possible in a rapidly changing Saudi Arabia, inspiring a new generation of female racers who no longer have to wonder if they belong. Public perception is largely one of admiration; she’s seen as someone who pushed through societal pushback with grace, grit, and an impressive trophy collection.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Al Aboud’s ambitions are straightforward: represent Saudi Arabia in international races, earn podium finishes on the world stage, and continue inspiring the next generation of female racers. She currently competes for Jameel Motorsport Toyota Gazoo Racing, and while specific 2025 plans weren’t detailed in available sources, her trajectory suggests she’s aiming higher—Formula E, international endurance racing, or another high-profile series where she can showcase her skills against the best in the world. She’s also continuing her university studies, balancing academics with a demanding racing schedule, because apparently being a record-breaking pioneer wasn’t challenging enough.

“The moment I sat in the Formula E car for seat fittings, I told myself that I knew I belonged here,” she said. If history is any indication, she’s not stopping until the rest of the world agrees.

References:

Motor283 – Reem Al Aboud Profile
Jameel Motorsport – Reem Al Aboud Athlete Profile
Gulf News – Saudi Arabia’s Reem Al Aboud Interview
Khaleej Times – Exclusive Interview with Reem Al Aboud
About Her – Reem Al Aboud Profile
Cosmopolitan Middle East – Saudi Female Racers Feature
Ithra – Speaker Bio
Destination KSA – Motorsports Feature