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The World Women’s Car of the Year (WWCOTY) Award announced that Aseel Al-Hamad, representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Women in Motorsport Committee of the International Automobile Federation and member of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, has joined the international jury.
WWCOTY is one of the only motoring awards in the world made up exclusively of female motoring journalists, and with the appointment of Aseel, it now includes 74 judges from 50 different countries.
The addition of Aseel Al-Hamad is of particular importance because she is the first woman to become a member of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF). She has multiple activities in urging and guiding the Saudi workforce, and she also appears as a symbol of women’s empowerment in various media, and an inspiring representative of the Saudi Vision 2030 for leadership and positive change. She is an advocate for motor sports, and taught herself to drive in Dubai, years before women were allowed to drive in the Kingdom. Saudi Arab.
She started racing at an early age, in 2000, where she tested her skills in amateur championships and built her profile as a car driver.
In June 2018, Aseel participated in a pivotal moment in the history of the region, as she completed the victory lap at Paul Ricard in Le Castillet in France, at the guest of Renault, marking the lifting of the ban on Saudi women driving cars.
Most recently, Aseel co-founded STEER, a licensed Saudi travel company specializing in supercar tours that explore the beauty of Saudi Arabia. The mission is to promote domestic tourism in the Kingdom through immersive car experiences.
Aseel commented: “I am very proud of my new role supporting this year’s Women’s World Car Award, as we are committed to our mission to promote women’s empowerment in the automotive industry and motorsport. This world has traditionally been seen as a male-dominated world, and through our work We are committed to redressing the balance.
The first to own a Ferrari
Aseel is the first Saudi woman to import and own a Ferrari since 2012, years before women were allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. She participated in many amateur championships with her talent and commitment to her career, which led to her obtaining membership in the International Automobile Federation.
Her appointment to the WWCOTY jury highlights the new role that women are beginning to play in this Arab country, especially in the sports and entertainment industry. Since the launch of Vision 2030 plans, many business and investment opportunities have opened.
Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in attracting high-profile sporting and motoring events in recent years as part of its Vision 2030 agenda. The country hosted massive global events for the first time in its history, such as the Dakar Rally, Formula E, Formula 1, and others. It has also built a new race track for Formula drivers hosted since 2021. The Kingdom has signed agreements to host motorcycle racing and the World Rally Championship round. There are plans to develop the racing industry, and the country has introduced Formula 4 academies for young drivers, and is building a permanent circuit where the Grand Prix will be held in 2026.
Sports and entertainment will play a crucial role in attracting tourists to the MENA region, where Aseel Al-Hamad works and lives, growing at an estimated 36% with Saudi Arabia as the leading market. Saudi Arabia accounted for nearly 35% of the MENA region in 2020.
In 2021, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia imported $12.1 billion worth of cars, becoming the thirteenth largest importer in the world. In the same year, cars were the most imported product in Saudi Arabia mainly from Japan, China, the United States, South Korea and Germany.
Saudi Arabia is also moving towards building local content. In accordance with the country’s Vision 2030 goals, the National Industrial Development Center aims to attract 3-4 original equipment manufacturers. The goal is to produce 300,000 vehicles annually with 40% local content by 2030. NIDC offers incentives to enable manufacturing through loans, tax incentives and customs exemptions.
