At 33, she will be one of the first two women of the Islamic monarchy to take the wheel during this 44th Dakar and third Saudi edition (from January 1 to 14).
"I hope the spectators don't watch the result so much but see the fact that I am doing what I love. That I put myself in a situation where I can fail, where I can make mistakes, but where I can also be successful, ”says Dania.
Another Saudi competitor, Mashael Al Obaidan, will also participate in the big rally-raid in a Maverick X3 Buggy entered in the T3 category.
Akeel recently stood out with the title of FIA Cross Country Baja World Champion in the T3 category.
The young driver is aware of the peculiarity of her participation and the expectations it arouses: "I already feel the responsibility to live up to and pay tribute to this role. But too much pressure can only harm".
"It's a great adventure" which will be "a very difficult experience mentally and physically: I want to enjoy it. I have to remember that this race is very personal. It is a race with myself. We are growing up. with challenges like this. Hope it goes well. "
His objective during this Dakar, which will see 1,065 participants compete in the sand of the Arabian Peninsula, aboard 578 vehicles, over a course of 8,375 km, is above all to finish the race.
"I would like to get a good ranking. But I'm a newcomer, it's my first Dakar," smiles Dania.
And to add: "the competitor in me will have an eye on the classification, but above all I want to arrive in Jeddah".
© 2021 AFP