Amna Al Qubaisi Is Rewriting The Rules Of Racing

At just 14, Amna Al Qubaisi fell in love with racing after watching her father compete. Just four years later, in 2018, she became the first Emirati woman to officially enter the Formula 3 racing world — sending a powerful message to women everywhere: never take a back seat when it comes to your dreams. She's since faced the sport's most difficult hurdles, from navigating gender bias to hopping behind the wheel only a week after a near-fatal crash.

Like most female competitors, keeping her focus clear and frankly, remaining in her lane, has always been her MO. But as she shared in a 2022 interview with us, the male-dominated sport has continuously posed challenges to her success. For example, "The car chassis," or structure, "was built for male drivers, she told us. "So I've struggled to make the perfect seat fit with the pedal measurements."

While Formula 1 drivers benefit from frequent access to testing tracks, Formula 2 and 3 racers — especially women — have far fewer chances to practice. The limited resources make her wins all the more impressive. "I would say the lack of track time for practicing or testing has really impacted my performance, as I'm unfamiliar with the car and every track has always been my first time, so it always felt like a game of catch-up."

@amnaalqubaisiWhat if I can have both