After making her debut in the International GT Open, Reema’s 2022 season has featured various highs and lows to date.
With only three rounds remaining after the summer break, Reema takes some time to discuss competing with her own team, Theeba Motorsport, and reflects on some of the best moments on track so far this season.
Describe your debut season in the International GT Open so far.
I think my debut season has been better than I ever imagined. With a new car and in a new environment, I wasn’t exactly sure how I would fare, but immediately from the first weekend, I felt very comfortable. Before the start of the season, we didn’t spend a lot of time testing so to arrive at Paul Ricard and take pole, win our class and finish on the overall podium was a nice way to start the season. I think this added to our confidence but then difficult races atSpa and Hungary really put things into perspective and we realised that we have a lot of work to do. The goal is always to win, but motorsport is unpredictable and one weekend you can win, and the next, you don’t. It ebbs and flows and taking a realistic and patient approach is very important.
How has it been holding a dual role as both Theeba Motorsport’s owner and driver?
It’s been a very rewarding experience so far, and I think both managing and driving for the team has allowed me to develop quite a lot, both professionally and on a personal level. Creating a racing team is about refinement – it’s about examining every area of performance, making sure that people have the things that they need to work, but also ensuring that they feel able to communicate and be a part of the team as a whole. I created Theeba Motorsport because of my passion for racing, but there is a much higher purpose to our work – we want to inspire the next generation of Saudi talent and improve their access to motorsport. From my own experiences, I want to work in an environment that encourages everyone to be their best and this is a culture that we’re fostering as a team. Everyone has contributed to that, and even when a race might not go our way, our sprit is unbreakable. Thinking this three-dimensionally is one of the main differences of holding a dual role and everything is more rounded. I have to think about the whole team, instead of only thinking about my own performance, and this is something that I’m enjoying.
How do you plan to apply your learnings from the first half of the season to the final three race weekends?
We’re always evolving as a team and since our most recent race, we’ve worked very hard to ensure that we continue to improve. We understand what went wrong, we know how to optimise our processes further and we also know how we can improve the car. Overall, we need to think about the bigger picture and remember that motorsport doesn’t come without its challenges. For the final race weekends this season, we need to put our best foot forward but we need to do that with a refreshed mindset so we can come back after the break rested and ready. At the same time, we need to take the time to enjoy the good moments and not lose sight of why we love what we do. It’s important to take those moments in and not take them for granted.
