Emirati driver Nora Al-Jassasi confirmed her commitment to delivering the best performance and representing Emirati women in her individual participation at the 9th Dubai International Rally - Baha, the final round of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies for cars, motorcycles, and quads. The event kicks off today and runs until the day after tomorrow, featuring participants from 30 countries, including 14 Emirati drivers and navigators. It is organized by the Emirates Motorsports Organization (EMO).
Al-Jassasi told "Al-Ittihad": "I am keen to be the best ambassador for the UAE in the world of rallying, with my third consecutive participation in the Dubai International Rally. This is my first time in the international class with a co-driver, as this stop is part of my preparations for next year's Middle East Rally Championship, which includes rounds in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, and the UAE."
She added: "I am participating with personal funding, as the costs of this sport are high, especially since my participation this year carries a special challenge, not only due to the sand dunes, hills, and difficult tracks requiring advanced skills and great endurance, but also because it is a significant milestone in my international career, as I am tackling the Dubai Rally for the first time with a co-driver."
Al-Jassasi affirmed that she is proud to represent Emirati women in this sport, saying: "Despite the short journey in rallying, I have succeeded in reaching the podium and participating in World Championship rounds. This success gives me a greater responsibility and pushes me to send a message to Emirati and Arab women about the importance of believing in their abilities in a sport that is inherently dominated by men, not only in the Arab world but globally."
Al-Jassasi, who is competing in a "Buggy" in the "FIA T4" category, promised to do her utmost and said: "I participated in the first Dubai Rally with a rented car, before buying a used car last year and competing locally and internationally, which gained me more experience. Today, I am gradually achieving my ambition by competing for the first time in the international class, despite the additional costs I bear personally, which range annually between 300,000 and 500,000 dirhams."
She spoke about her beginnings in rallying in 2023, saying: "My presence at the Dakar Rally at the beginning of 2023 was a turning point in my career after rallying legend, Qatari Nasser Al-Attiya, inspired me to take on this challenge. I have big ambitions to gain more experience and get enough support that qualifies me to represent Emirati women at Dakar, the most difficult and longest rally in the world."
Al-Jassasi, an employee at the Dubai Securities and Commodities Authority, questioned the reasons for the lack of support in a sport that was previously the 'cradle of rallying' in the region and produced legends, most notably the current President of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, a 14-time Middle East champion, and said: "Emirati rallying, which has long been the cradle of rallying in the region, suffers today from a lack of support and the absence of major national partnerships that fulfill their commitments, despite the presence of past and current champions who are making every effort to raise the country's flag in major international forums."
