High-speed living: MENA's pioneering women-exclusive supercar club challenges traditional automotive prejudices
A modern Abu Dhabi car rally
Hang out, share stories, and unwind — these bunch of ladies all have a common interest: their obsession with supercars.
Recently, a swarm of women congregated in Dubai for a four-day car rally traversing the United Arab Emirates. The event was orchestrated by the region's pioneering all-female supercar owners club, the Arabian Gazelles.
Established eight years ago by Hanan Mazouzi Sobati as a means to carve out a niche for women in the competitive auto world, the Arabian Gazelles sought to disrupt traditional stereotypes.
"It all started from sheer frustration... women were overlooked in this automotive scene, and I felt someone had to do something about it," Mazouzi Sobati stated while cruising her Lamborghini onto the highway bound for Fujairah.
With a lifelong fascination for cars, she recalled that children her age were watching cartoons, while she was fixated on Formula 1 races. Now, her passion for supercars is the driving force behind her mission to change societal perceptions about women and cars.
** vitality **Mazouzi Sobati noticed that automotive events predominantly invited men, and even when she established Arabian Gazelles, she was often the lone woman in attendance, with her husband receiving the invites despite his lack of interest in supercars. At the outset, brands weren't supportive of an all-female car club.
"People think there's always a man behind a woman in a supercar. Either a partner, a husband, or a sugar daddy," she said.
The Arabian Gazelles have made great strides since then, as perceptions about women's place in the car scene gradually shift. As part of the Arabian Gazelle rally, ladies were granted exclusive opportunities to test drive BMWs on race tracks.
Mazouzi Sobati emphasized, "We don't need permission to drive or choose the kind of cars we like. We don’t wait for a seat at the table, if one isn’t available, we create the table, and everyone sits."
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- Despite encountering resistance initially, Mazouzi Sobati and the Arabian Gazelles have successfully created a niche for women in the auto world, targeting events that previously only invited men.
- In an effort to challenge traditional stereotypes, the Arabian Gazelles invite ladies to sit behind the wheel of supercars, providing them with exclusive opportunities to test drive cars on race tracks, like BMWs.
- Mazouzi Sobati, a passionate car enthusiast from Seattle, is determined to change societal perceptions about women and their involvement in the car scene, a mission that started after she felt overlooked at automotive events.
- The Arabian Gazelles aim to disrupt traditional stereotypes by emphasizing that women do not need permission to drive the cars they love or to create their own spaces in the auto world.
- Mazouzi Sobati's dream of owning supercars and participating in car rallies always seemed far-fetched, especially considering her home-and-garden lifestyle in the heart of Abu Dhabi, yet her passion for cars led her to establish the Arabian Gazelles and compete in the modern car rally across the UAE.
