Saudi Arabia has become a prime destination for global racing events, and now it's adding the Rally Jameel to the calendar.

The Dakar Rally (formerly known as the Paris-Dakar) moved there in 2020 from South America, and it hosted the inaugural Saudi Arabian F1 Grand Prix last year. Global racing tends to put a country under a magnifying glass, and there's no shying away from the fact that Saudi Arabia is very much an unequal society. Women were granted the right to get a driver's license in 2017 without getting permission from a man, yet they still need permission for many mundane everyday activities. Now, those female drivers are getting the opportunity to race, as the Rally Jameel is an event open to women only.

It's Saudi Arabia's first-ever women-only motorsport event, and it has attracted a global crowd, including Rebelle Rally veteran and US citizen Sedona Blinson. The Rebelle Rally, for the record, was the main inspiration for this event.

"Taking part in Rally Jameel, for me, is an incredible way to support women who are new to the scene of off-roading and motorsports. I am most looking forward to competing with an array of international teams and navigating the beautiful deserts of Saudi Arabia. My goal is to inspire more women to try their hand in motorsports and embrace new adventures," said Blinson.

The Rally Jameel will run from 17-18 March during International Women's History Month, which has already seen Mini celebrating female rally drivers Pat Moss and Ann Wisdom with a new special edition.

The Rally Jameel is going to be a tough one: a 625-mile route from Ha'il to Riyadh with competitors covering 90-315 miles per day in stock cars.

The line-up will include both AWD and 4WD vehicles, including models from Toyota, Lexus, Porsche, Jeep, and Ford, among others, providing another opportunity for the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco to duke it out following the former's recent success at the 2021 Rebelle Rally.

The Rally Jameel is not about speed but precision. Competitors will use state-of-the-art navigation technology and a digital roadbook on a pre-defined route to achieve the best timing each day.

If it sounds easy, it's not. While Saudi might look like an immense desert, it has hidden dangers around every corner. The surface is quite rocky. Said rocks are big enough to tear a Dakar racer apart. That's the main reason why Audi's EV racer lost the Dakar Rally this year.

Someone with Dakar experience would be perfect for this event, which is why Dania Akeel is entering. She was the first Saudi national to compete in the Dakar Rally earlier this year. She's also a well-respected racer in her home country.

"I believe this race will encourage women to participate in something new and will help the increasing number of women on the country's roads to feel even more comfortable behind the wheel. It will help women experience driving in a completely different way to driving on the road, inspiring a sense of adventure and discovery, which adds to a fulfilling life experience," said Akeel.