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UAE racer Amna Al-Qubaisi shows her bravery as she sets the pace for women drivers in the region
What Amna Al-Qubaisi lacks in physical fitness, she makes up for with bravery and perseverance.
The 21-year-old Emirati driver, who drives for the Abu Dhabi team, was involved in a serious crash earlier this year that severely damaged her F3 car.
A week later, she was back behind the wheel.
This is an important start for her participation in the Asian Regional Formula Championship.
“I’ve been off for a year and it took me a while to start playing again and get back to the rhythm,” Al-Qubaisi told Arab News on the sidelines of a #WhatSheSaid speech, an inspiring panel of female athletes. area.
“In my first race weekend, I got the first point, so it was a really good start. Then I had that big crash and I had to start gaining confidence to get back into the rhythm.
“But overall it was a really good race weekend and I managed to close the gap for my teammates.”
Those teammates happen to be her father, UAE racing legend Khaled, and her 19-year-old sister Hamda. Amna enjoys building a sports rapport with her family.
“It was actually really good. I expected a lot of arguments and fights,” she said. “But all in all, it was like an intimate moment. We gave each other advice, we helped each other on the track, there was slipstream and everything. So it was really good.”
Enjoyment doesn’t mean no challenges, but sibling rivalry is good for the team.
“My sister also pushes a lot (mutually) because she’s been racing in F4 and then into F3,” Al-Qubaisi said.
“We see a lot of people comparing us on social media, and in terms of our experience, we try to shut it out and not let it affect our relationship. So we think it’s like this, we help each other, we All perform well in different ways.”
The Abu Dhabi Racing Team finished an impressive fourth place in the Asian Regional Formula Championship. Most importantly, Al-Qubaisi has been at the highest level of his career.
“It’s very challenging, especially the handling of the car; it’s very physical,” she said.
“The Formula Regional car is a very heavy car, much heavier than the FIA F3, so physically, it’s really hard to get over. But in terms of rhythm, I’m there. It’s just a matter of consistency, trying to be more Focus and put things together.
“When I was away for a year, it took me a while to get used to it. So I didn’t have that feeling of being in the car when I was training in the gym.”
From karting at the Yas Marina and Al-Ain circuits at the age of 9, Al-Qubaisi has set an example for other aspiring female drivers in the UAE and the region. Slowly, others also began to rise.
“I’ve heard in our team that there are two girls racing karts and they’re doing really well,” she said. “I also heard that a young Emirati woman is racing in Europe. So we’re seeing some girls getting involved in the sport and raising awareness about the sport. So hopefully we’ll be able to play in single-seaters as well. You see them in the car, you can even see them in a GT car.”
With government support in terms of funding, projects and facilities, now is the perfect time for young drivers to get involved in motorsport
“I think people should make the most of (offered),” she said.
“We have a very good repertoire. We have an F1 track, Yas Marina has a school and they offer opportunities for people who want to make racing a career and a sport. They have a lot of races at Yas Marina and Dubai Autodrome. I Think we should really take advantage of it because it’s also cheap. It’s a lot cheaper than charging in Europe. So they’re helping the racing world.”
For now, the Al-Qubaisi family is firmly in dominance in every sense of the word, and Amna has high hopes for the future.
“Next season, we are looking at a few rounds in Europe,” she said. “Hope to participate in F3 Asia again.”
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