What If the Door Doesn’t Exist?
For years, Reema Juffali grew up in a country where women weren’t allowed to drive. Not just forbidden from racing but even from sitting behind the wheel on a public road.
Today, she’s Saudi Arabia’s first female professional racing driver, the founder of Theeba Motorsport, and one of the most recognizable Saudi faces in global sport.
But her real victory?
She didn’t just enter the race—she built the track for others to follow.
A Childhood Dream with No Road Map
Reema wasn’t born into motorsport. She wasn’t handed the keys.
In fact, there was no road for her at all.
Raised in Jeddah, Reema fell in love with speed through video games, documentaries, and the distant sound of engines she couldn’t legally touch. She would later say:
“It was a quiet passion. One I never spoke of, because I never thought it could become real.”
That silent dream turned into fuel. And when the world told her “you can’t,” she trained herself to say, “I will.”
Leaving Home to See What’s Possible
At 18, Reema left for Boston to study International Affairs. There, for the first time, she drove a car. For most students, it’s a rite of passage.
For Reema, it was a revolution.
“I wasn’t just learning to drive—I was meeting the version of myself I was never allowed to be.”
She watched Formula 1. She enrolled in racing classes. And quietly, she promised herself:
One day, I’ll race with the Saudi flag on my back.
2018–2021: The Girl Who Dared to Start
2018
Just months after Saudi Arabia lifted the driving ban for women, Reema earned her racing license and entered her first competitive race—the TRD 86 Cup. She was 26. Most drivers started at 8.
"I was years behind in experience. But I had a purpose. That was my edge."
2019
She made history at the Diriyah E-Prix—becoming the first Saudi woman to race on home soil. The stands were packed, the lights were on, and the entire world watched as a quiet girl from Jeddah took her place on the grid.
"I wasn’t racing just for myself. I was racing for every girl who needed to see that moment."
Theeba Motorsport: A Dream Turned Legacy
In 2022, Reema did something few athletes dare to do:
She stopped being the story and started building a system.
She launched Theeba Motorsport, the Kingdom’s first female-led racing team with a bold mission:
- Compete globally under a Saudi license
- Offer youth internships and training
- Inspire a new generation of talent—on and off the track
In its debut year, her team placed second in the Pro-Am class of the International GT Open.
"If my only success was being the first, then I’ve failed. The win is when I’m not the last."
Recognized Worldwide, Rooted at Home
Her story resonated far beyond racetracks:
- BBC 100 Women – For shattering glass ceilings
- Gulf Business’ 100 Most Powerful Arabs – For building global visibility
- IWC Schaffhausen Ambassador – For embodying precision, elegance, and boldness
- Saudi Vision 2030 icon – For representing a generation rewriting the rules
Why Reema’s Story Is a Masterclass in Leadership
For young consultants and professionals in Saudi Arabia, Reema’s journey is more than inspiring—it’s instructive.
She teaches us:
- To start, even if the timing isn’t perfect
- To speak softly, but act powerfully
- To break rules—but build systems
- To compete with grace, not aggression
- To create space, not just take space
"Every lap, I’m reminded that progress comes one curve at a time. What matters is that you never stop driving forward."
Her Legacy is in Motion
Today, Reema is no longer “just a first.”
She’s a founder. A leader. A teacher. A movement.
And she’s not asking for attention—she’s commanding respect.
Not just as a woman in motorsport, but as a Saudi building the kind of future many only imagined.
"The finish line isn’t winning a race. It’s making sure others get to run."
