Ahead of International Women's Day, Jessica Hawkins becomes the first woman to drive the latest generation of F1 car in the team's first demo run in Saudi Arabia, celebrating the team's title partnership with Aramco.
The Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team lit up the streets of the Riyadh Boulevard entertainment centre to celebrate the team's title partnership with Aramco. Driver Ambassador Jessica Hawkins showcased the visceral performance of the AMR22 – becoming the first woman to drive the latest generation of F1 cars in the Kingdom.
Earlier in the day, at the Seven Concours, Jessica was joined by Aston Martin Aramco F1 Academy driver Tina Hausmann to launch a new Aramco-supported karting initiative targeted at bringing more women and girls into motorsport within the Kingdom and beyond.
This was supported by an immersive day of STEM-focused tutorials, to help inspire the next generation, ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and International Women's Day (IWD). Similar karting and educational initiatives are expected to be delivered by the team and its title partner in the lead up to the races in China and Spain.
Jessica Hawkins, Driver Ambassador and Head of Racing F1 Academy, Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, said:
"It was my first time driving the AMR22 in Saudi Arabia and at night! It is another special moment I will remember for a long time. I am delighted to be working with our title partner Aramco on their various projects to inspire women and girls to take up motorsport.
"Since I drove the F1 car in Hungary last year, I have been contacted by lots of women and girls around the world asking how they can get involved. Ahead of IWD, it is vital to be seen and hopefully that will encourage more females to get involved. The next stop is Jeddah to support our F1 Academy driver ahead of her debut for the Aston Martin Aramco team."
Rania Biltagi, Manager of Marketing, Partnership and Sponsorships at Aramco, said:
"It is thrilling to see the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team continue to push the limits of possibility, on and off the track. Together, we aim to keep innovation at the heart of everything we do, as we seek to engage the next generation of scientists and engineers, sports fans and even racing drivers. This spectacular moment, combined with the karting and STEM programmes, are important steps in our title partnership journey with Aston Martin."
Our first ever demo run in Saudi Arabia
Driver Ambassador Jessica Hawkins becomes the first woman to drive the latest generation of F1 car in the Kingdom, celebrating the team's title partnership with Aramco.
I / AM membership
The ultimate fan experience.
Get closer to the team with unparalleled access, behind-the-scenes insights and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and enjoy exclusive competitions, rewards, offers and more.