Written by Isabel Brito, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
Women have played an influential role throughout the history of motor racing. Many have taken to the wheels of motorsport machines, while numerous figures have worked tirelessly on the sidelines in various roles, shaping the motor racing world to the present day. Woman Spotlight Wednesday aims to take a look at the tales of these superwomen, who have surpassed various hurdles to reach where they are today.
The following article dives into the Emirati growing talent in F1 Academy, narrating the tale of a young woman who has overcome physical adversity after an accident earlier this year, and showing how anything is possible, despite the circumstances.
Hamda Al Qubaisi is a Emirati Formula 1 Academy driver, known for her current success in the series, and prior achievements in Formula 4. Within a short span of time, she has become a talented young woman, fighting for the championship in her current racing series, inspiring many others to follow in her steps.
Karting years
Al Qubaisi started karting in 2015, when she first showed her talent, which earned her an invitation to the 2016 CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy, a series sponsored by the FIA. She also became the first Emirati to be invited to this series. During her karting days, she managed to finish 3rd in the 2017 IAME X30 Championship.
FIA Formula 4
However, Hamda's karting years didn’t last long. The Emirati racer blossomed into an up-and-coming talent, leading to her Italian F4 debut in 2019. She competed alongside her sister Amna for Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema. Unfortunately, she competed in only six races, and ended up 42nd in the championship. Later, she ran in the Formula 4 UAE Championship - Trophy Round, racing in two rounds, although she wasn't classified as a finisher in either.
In 2020, she continued racing in the same series, both in Italy and the UAE for Abu Dhabi racing, finishing 4th in the UAE F4 Championship, and improving to 25th in the Italian F4 series.
In the same year the Emirati driver also raced in the ADAC F4 Championship, driving for Iron Lynx, where she took part in three races and a non-classified finish in the championship. Regardless, she continued to race all of the aforementioned series during 2021, having varied finishing positions in each one. Hamda’s best finish was 4th in UAE F4 Championship, where she achieved 221 points, seven podiums and three wins, once again for Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema.
The Emirati driver didn’t have the same results in 2022,when she made the switch to Asian and European Formula Regional, having one of the lowest finishes of her career. Unfortunately, she suffered an accident that broke her arm on the last lap of the FIA UAE Formula 4 Championship, racing for Yas Heat Racing Academy in early 2023. The accident took a toll on her physical health for a while, as she recovered, and regained the physical strength necessary to return to racing.
F1 Academy Debut
Hamda Al Qubaisi now races in the all-female racing series - F1 Academy, driving for MP Motorsport, alongside her sister Amna and Dutch racer Emely de Heus. The young Emirati is showing her talent on the big stage, as she currently fights for the championship in second place, which has gained her attention and popularity, apart from being marked a prospect for the future in bigger racing series.
Al Qubaisi is by far one of the most talented female drivers racing this year, and after the accident earlier this year, she has shown that anything is possible, especially in racing. Hamda has become an inspiration to many young women who now look up to her, as well as her career, hoping to achieve the same.
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