Formula E puts women in the driving seat at Valencia’s pre-season session
Electric car series announces first for an FIA Championship, holding a dedicated test session for female drivers in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship
22 drivers competing in the series set to use the latest GEN3 Evo race car
Updated 37 sec ago
Arab News
LONDON: Formula E has announced that the first all-women test session of an FIA Championship will take place on Nov. 7 at Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia, as part of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s pre-season testing schedule.
The first-of-its-kind test in the all-electric championship gives elite women racing drivers the opportunity to drive the Season 11 (2024-25) GEN3 Evo car, which is capable of 0-60 mph in just 1.82 seconds — 30 percent faster than a current Formula 1 car. The vehicle will also be tested during the same week by the 11 race teams and 22 drivers currently competing in the series.
Each of the race teams in the championship will be required to field at least one woman driver for the half-day test, but encouraged to field two, who will drive in current-season cars.
With all the women on the track at the same time, the session will create a tangible platform for a wide pool of elite drivers who would not otherwise get an opportunity to drive machinery at this level.
The test will aim to provide the women not only with a destination, but also a pathway to develop their careers and skills using current technology.
The drivers will take part in multiple media opportunities at the Valencia track, including press conferences, briefings and interviews, while content will be captured for broadcast and social media on behalf of Formula E and its respective teams.
Formula E is proactively launching this initiative as part of a broader long-term strategy to remove barriers and expand opportunities for women within the all-electric championship. (Supplied)
This is to raise the drivers’ profile within elite motorsport and the wider sports industry, along with encouraging those involved at grassroots level and aspiring to work in motorsport. The full lineup of women drivers participating in the test will be announced in the coming weeks by each Formula E team.
Despite motorsport being one of the few sports in which men and women can compete together, it remains predominantly male, with only 3 percent of current top-tier racing licenses worldwide held by women.
Formula E is proactively launching this initiative as part of a broader long-term strategy to remove barriers and expand opportunities for women within the all-electric championship. It is not just about creating a one-off opportunity; it is about analyzing and actively dismantling the structural inequalities that have limited women’s participation and progress.
Jeff Dodds, CEO at Formula E, said: “We know there isn’t a simple solution for greater diversity in motorsport. If we’re going to truly give women equality, opportunity and visibility in our series, however, conditions for all need to be the same to aid their development and test themselves against those already on the starting grid.
“Unlike other series where women drivers have to use old or restricted machinery, they’ll be using the state-of-the-art GEN3 Evo car that accelerates 30 percent faster than an F1 car, just as our championship drivers do.
“We also recognize that one test will not solve the longstanding issue, but we have to start somewhere, knowing there is a long way to go and making sure we’re making proactive, consistent steps that continue to make forward progress.
“As a motorsport with an almost-equal split of male and female fans, as well as within Formula E including my exec and director teams, we believe it’s only right that our drivers and wider ecosystem is representative of those that follow and support the sport.”
Saudi rally driver Yosra Jazzar raring to go for Abu Dhabi Baja Challenge
Saudi driver, alongside co-driver Faisal Al-Swaih, line up for second season in demanding off-road rally series
Updated 02 October 2024
SALEH FAREED
JEDDAH: Saudi rally driver Yosra Jazzar is preparing to retain her Abu Dhabi Baja Challenge T4 category title when the series gets underway next week.
Jazzar, alongside her co-driver Faisal Al-Swaih, will line up for their second season in the demanding off-road rally series.
Jazzar told Arab News she was ready for the competition, stating: “I am completely prepared for this rally physically and mentally, and extremely excited and eagerly looking forward to this unique experience. We will do our utmost to achieve an honorable victory.”
She added that her confidence is further boosted by the expertise of her co-driver, who brings valuable experience in managing technical challenges and navigating complex terrains.
“Me and my co-driver Al-Swaih, who has high experience and skills in dealing with technical problems and reading geographical terrain, are confident in our abilities, as we strive to win the title of our category for the second time,” she said.
Jazzar, a successful entrepreneur and advocate for motorsports, has become a symbol of Saudi women’s increasing participation in international racing.
She said she remains focused on representing her country at the highest level, hoping to replicate her previous success and raise the Saudi flag on the podium once again.
The Abu Dhabi Baja Challenge series, consisting of four rounds, will commence next Saturday and will run until April 2025. Competitors will face a variety of tough desert conditions as they compete for top honors.
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Dubai begins with Captains’ Day ahead of opening game
Action gets underway on Thursday when original hosts Bangladesh face tournament debutants Scotland
Decision to move competition to UAE taken amid concerns about political violence in Bangladesh
Updated 02 October 2024
Razia Desai
DUBAI: The captain of Bangladesh’s women’s cricket team said her team will remain professional during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup despite their disappointment about the last-minute relocation of the tournament from their home country.
The decision to move the competition, which begins on Thursday and continues until Oct. 20, to the UAE was taken in August because of political violence in Bangladesh. All 23 matches will be played at two venues in Dubai and Sharjah. Bangladesh, who remain the official hosts, will get the tournament underway against debutants Scotland in the opening match.
The captains of all 10 competing teams gathered at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday for a pretournament press conference.
The captains of all 10 competing teams gathered at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday for a pretournament press conference. (Supplied/ICC)
Bangladesh’s captain, Sultana Joty, acknowledged the challenges her team have faced as a result of the unrest in their home country and the resultant change in venue for the competition but said they maintain a positive outlook.
“It was disappointing but we are professional,” she said. “More than us, this is about everyone there. We are fortunate to be here and will provide some cheer for the fans.
“I’m expecting a lot of spectators because in Sharjah there are a lot of Bangladeshis there. And playing in this kind of event, I think more people will come watch us and support.”
Scotland are playing in their first-ever Women’s T20 World Cup. Captain Kathryn Brice emphasized her team’s familiarity with the host venues and hopes their previous experience with conditions in the UAE will give them a boost.
“I think we just really want to compete in this competition,” she said. “We’ve played some fantastic cricket in the qualifiers and leading up to it, so I think we just want to go out there and do ourselves justice on that stage and put in some good performances against these teams.”
The tournament begins with a group stage, with the top two teams from each of the two five-team groups progressing to the knockout phase. The top team from each group will then face the runners-up from the other group, with the two winners contesting the final.
In one of the most eagerly anticipated group-stage matchups, India will take on Pakistan on Oct. 6. Adding to the excitement is the fact that tickets are very reasonably priced, starting at just 5 dirhams ($1.36), and children get in free.
India’s captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, a veteran of all eight previous T20 World Cups, said it is important to remain composed under pressure.
“I think learning is something which is never going to stop,” she said. “Every day is a learning day. I’m going and learning and getting experience from every game.
“I think people around me, they are helping me, they are working hard to make our team go at that level where we want to be. I am happy with where our team is. I like how our team is working hard to achieve small, small things.”
Fatima Sana, the captain of Pakistan, emphasized the importance of self-belief, saying: “The best advice that management gave me is to express and back myself. They told me to take a brave decision in the field.”
The team with the best record in the tournament, six-time champions Australia, are led by Alyssa Healy.
“Ten teams, we all have a shot. You don’t come to defend a ball, you come to win,” she said.
“Our pool is quite a tricky one. We’ve got to get past a lot of these teams to be able to lift the trophy and it’s a challenge we’re excited for.”
A new feature for this year’s event is the first all-female team of umpires and referees, marking a historic step toward gender equality in officiating major sporting events.
With the possibility that dew might influence matches played under floodlights, and teams having taken the opportunity to play warm-up games to help adapt to conditions in the UAE, this edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup offers a chance for the next global superstars of women’s cricket to shine. New Zealand captain Sophie Devine highlighted the importance of nurturing emerging talent as the women’s game continues to develop.
“In terms of the quick bowlers, you’ve seen the girls become more professional, and what they’ve been able to do in the gym is starting to see bowlers hitting 120 kph and more, which makes for a challenge,” she said.
“It’s always exciting to be coming up against that but I think it just shows the development of the women’s game, that those sorts of skills continue to improve.
“We’ve got a number of young fast bowlers coming through. And again, their development has been massive the last 12 to 18 months, so certainly I’m looking forward to seeing what sort of bowlers they can turn into.”
Following the opening match between Bangladesh and Scotland, Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka on Thursday. Both games are at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Team Abu Dhabi boss expects big response from Thani Al-Qemzi as title race returns to Shanghai
The first of two rounds in China gives the UAE racer and colleague Alberto Comparato a chance to put recent setbacks behind them
Updated 02 October 2024
Arab News
SHANGHAI: Team Abu Dhabi are looking to turn their season around in the 2024 UIM F1H2O World Championship, starting with a big performance by Thani Al-Qemzi and Alberto Comparato in the Grand Prix of Shanghai, China at the weekend.
The first of two rounds to be staged in the People’s Republic in the space of two weeks presents Al-Qemzi and Comparato with the chance to put previous setbacks behind them, and team manager Guido Cappellini said both drivers are up for the challenge.
“It’s been a tough year so far in the championship, but despite the difficult start we have had, there have been some positive signs from Thani,” said Cappellini, who has delivered 18 world titles to Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club since taking charge nine years ago.
“He was very unlucky in Olbia after putting in a great performance, and we’re expecting him to have better results in the remaining races. Thani is a very good driver with great experience, and he wants to maintain his best standard for every race.”
Cappellini has equal faith in Comparato, who joined the team at the start of the season, taking over from Shaun Torrente after the three-time world champion decided to stand down.
“Alberto is a talented driver, that’s why he was chosen,” said the 10-time F1 champion. “This season, we have had a run of unlucky events that didn’t allow him to get the results that he’s capable of.
“But that’s behind us now. I’ve told him not to lose his feeling with the boat, and to stay focused, because he has very good skills to show.”
Sharjah Team rookie Rusty Wyatt leads the championship from defending champion Jonas Andersson and Victory Team’s Erik Stark. Just 15 points separate the top three, with a second round in China to follow in a fortnight in Zhengzhou, before December’s grand finale in Sharjah.
Veteran Emirati driver Al-Qemzi, who made his F1H2O debut in 2000 and has twice finished runner-up in the title race, will be making his 156th race start on the championship’s return to Shanghai after a 20-year gap.
Al-Qemzi reached a new milestone in his illustrious career during this season’s second round in Vietnam when he took his overall haul in the championship past 1,000 points.
He returns to action in Shanghai looking to add to his record of 10 grand prix victories and 45 podium finishes.
“Barcelona and the player Wojciech Szczesny have reached a deal for his signing until June 30, 2025,” said the La Liga leaders Szczesny retired this summer after featuring at Euro 2024 for Poland
BARCELONA: Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has come out of retirement to sign for Spanish giants Barcelona on Wednesday. “Barcelona and the player Wojciech Szczesny have reached a deal for his signing until June 30, 2025,” said the La Liga leaders in a statement. The former Arsenal and Juventus goalkeeper, 34, joins after Barca’s first choice stopper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was ruled out potentially until the end of the season with a severe knee injury, sustained on September 22. Szczesny retired this summer after featuring at Euro 2024 for Poland but has now returned to the game to play in La Liga for the first time. The goalkeeper had said his “heart (was) not there any more” to play football after leaving Juventus by mutual agreement in August. Szczesny has made over 600 appearances for club and country over his career, winning three Serie A titles and three Italian cups with Juventus, as well as two FA Cups with Arsenal. Barca’s reserve goalkeeper Inaki Pena started in place of the stricken Ter Stegen in recent matches.
