Egypt’s first female rally driver pushes women to go faster
Yara Shalaby, who shocked the male-dominated racing scene by taking part and winning awards in rallies in Egypt and Gulf states, wants to teach other women to follow their dreams and fight stereotypes.
Egypt’s first female rally driver, Yara Shalaby, wants to pave the way for women to follow in her footsteps as a racecar driver and crush prejudices in a conservative society. Shalaby has set her sights on establishing a female-only racing school.
“The school will teach women how to drive down the dusty deserts of Egypt,” Shalaby, 36, told Al-Monitor. “It will also teach navigation, car maintenance and mechanics.”
Shalaby, who has been interested in rally driving since she was a child, said, “Right now I am teaching women rally driving, but this is only on a small scale. I take women in my car and we go to the desert to train. However, I hope that soon I can find a suitable sponsor who will provide funding for a school.”
Shalaby dreams of running a school that will include a space where she can teach women the basics of rally driving. She will also need cars for the women to use to practice their racing skills.
