Ahead of the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, event promoter Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) announced that Farah AlYousef will compete in front of her home crowd, driving the #4 MUHRA car run by Hitech TGR. AlYousef will make her F1 Academy debut at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit as the series’ second Wild Card Entry of the 2025 season, following in the footsteps of fellow Saudi driver Reema Juffali who also competed as the Wild Card entry in the 2024 Jeddah Round.
AlYousef boasts a lengthy motorsport résumé
Farah AlYousef honed her craft in her native Saudi Arabia, building a strong foundation in karting that includes winning the 2022 Saudi Women’s Karting Championship. She went on to finish 26th at the Karting World Finals, earning a spot at the FW Nations Cup Finals in Dubai, scheduled for May 2025.
While her single-seater experience is more limited, AlYousef enters F1 Academy with solid preparation. She recently competed in the 2025 F4 Middle East Championship and completed three days of in-season testing at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in F1 Academy machinery. Although she lacks the extensive seat time of her fellow competitors, AlYousef aims to represent her country proudly—just as Juffali did in 2024.
AlYousef’s nomination part of SMC’s continued commitment to Saudi women in motorsport
Promoter SMC nominated AlYousef as the Wild Card Entry for Round 2 of the 2025 F1 Academy season in Jeddah, reinforcing its ongoing commitment to empowering local talent and creating opportunities for Saudi women and girls to compete and thrive in international motorsport. This holds particular significance in Saudi Arabia, which was the last country to lift its ban on female drivers. After a 30-year prohibition, women gained the right to drive in 2019, with the first licenses issued on June 24 of that year.
Racing at Jeddah Corniche Circuit “a dream come true” for AlYousef
AlYousef described the chance to race with F1 Academy in front of her home crowd as “a dream come true,” highlighting her long-standing passion for motorsport.
“Racing as a Wild Card entry in the F1 Academy on home soil here in Jeddah is truly a dream come true. Motorsport has been my passion for as long as I can remember and to line up alongside some of the most talented young drivers in the world at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit is an incredibly proud moment.”
She expressed hope that her participation would inspire girls across Saudi Arabia to pursue their dreams and ambitions. Although her path to F1 Academy had not always been smooth, AlYousef said positive moments like these reaffirmed her love for racing.
“I hope my participation inspires young girls across Saudi Arabia to believe in themselves and chase their dreams. The journey hasn’t always been easy, but moments like this remind me why I love racing.”
“I’m ready to give it my all and represent my country with pride,” AlYousef concluded.
