Jeddah, Saudi Arabia-: In line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 program to support the empowerment of Saudi women across various sectors, Abdul Latif Jameel Motors, the authorized distributor of Toyota in Saudi Arabia, today announced the launch of Rally Jameel, the first ever navigation rally for women in the Kingdom.
Abdul Latif Jameel Motors, in collaboration with Abdullah Bakhashab, aims to support the government’s directives to empower Saudi women, especially in motorsports, as one of the main pillars of Vision 2030. Other key objectives include supporting the country’s efforts towards the Quality of Life Program that aims to improve individuals and families’ quality of life, by creating an environment to support and develop new options that enhance the participation of citizens and residents in cultural, recreational, sports and tourism activities.
Commenting on the launch of Rally Jameel, Munir Khoja, Managing Director, Marketing Communication at Abdul Latif Jameel Motors, said: “We are proud today to launch Rally Jameel which will set new benchmarks for women’s motorsports in the Kingdom. Abdul Latif Jameel Motors has historically been a pioneer in supporting and adopting many prominent motorsports events under the umbrella of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) led by HRH Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Arabian Automobile and Motorcycle Federation. In the past few years, we witnessed the launch of the Saudi Toyota Desert Rally Championship and the Hail International Rally, and we will continue to see more rallies spring up in the coming years.”
He added: “By organizing Rally Jameel, we aim to achieve our higher national goals, as the event will draw the attention of motorsports enthusiasts across the globe to our cities that will host this rally – which is a great opportunity for them to see the Kingdom’s cultural and historical dimensions, and its expansive tourism opportunities.”
For his part, Abdullah Bakhashab said: “We are delighted to collaborate with Abdul Latif Jameel Motors across all technical aspects for Rally Jameel. The 900km rally will be held over three days, starting from Hail and ending in Riyadh – passing through the province of Qassim in the process. Each team will consist of a female driver and an assistant. Participation will be limited to 20 female drivers who will be nominated by the organizing committee. Registrations will begin from 27 December 2021 via the website www.rallyjameel.com.”
Abdul Latif Jameel Motors began supporting youth in motorsports since the 1990s, with the legendary Abdullah Bakhashab driving a Toyota Corolla in the World Rally Championship (WRC), in addition to other local and regional rally championships. Over the years, they have also helped support several Saudi champions who have earned significant recognition and accolades, including the recent 2021 FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Bajas – won by Yazeed Al Rajhi driving a Toyota Hilux.