Today's Edition
MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)
At over 250 kilometres per hour, autonomous race cars streak through the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. But long before they reach the starting grid, Amna Almarzooqi is in the garage - inspecting, fixing, and readying machines designed to race with no one behind the wheel, and no margin for error.
She is the only Emirati woman working hands on as a race-car mechanic in the world’s largest autonomous racing competition, the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL), organised by ASPIRE, the applied research arm of the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC).
Almarzooqi joined the programme a year ago, ahead of A2RL’s second season, which concluded in November and featured 11 international teams and the upgraded EAV-25 - a Super Formula SF23-based car capable of reaching a top speed of 295 kilometres per hour.
In a recent interview with Aletihad, Almarzooqi pulled back the curtain on her day-to-day work in the A2RL garage.
Her role spans the full race lifecycle. Before an event, she prepares and organises components, ensuring that every car meets strict reliability standards.
During race weekends, her focus shifts to monitoring and conducting checks between runs, with a key objective of maintaining parity across the fleet.
“Our main goal is to make all the cars the same,” she said. “After each run, I inspect the parts used, track what needs attention, and prepare the next car.”
Outside of race weekends, the work continues. The off-season period is dedicated to analysing performance, modifying components, and preparing for testing.
“When there’s no race, we’re still preparing for testing, and when there is testing, we’re learning what we’re missing and improving the cars,” she said. “It’s a continuous cycle.”
Engineering at Race Speed
Motorsport was not part of Almarzooqi’s original plan. She studied aviation maintenance engineering and completed work placements on aircraft, helping hone her technical skills.
“Aviation trained me to be very detail-oriented and safety-focused,” she said. “Transferring those skills to motorsports was natural. What I had to learn from scratch was the pace of racing.”
While maintenance in aviation follows strict schedules, working in motorsports means engineering decisions happen quickly - and often under scrutiny.
“Here, performance, safety, and reliability all come together under intense time pressure,” Almarzooqi explained.
Autonomous racing in particular introduces unique mechanical challenges, she added. Close racing and aggressive overtakes place heavy stress on components, while heat and vibration can affect sensors, wiring, and connectors.
“Reliability under extreme conditions is a constant challenge,” Almarzooqi said. “When issues arise, we troubleshoot quickly but methodically. We test, fix, and verify before sending the car back out.”
The budding race-car mechanic said her early months on the job were demanding but formative.
“Engineering here happens in real time, so you’re constantly learning,” she noted. “I was surrounded by very experienced professionals from motorsport and advanced technology. They were supportive and helped me build confidence.”
That confidence, she added, did not come from a single defining moment. “It came when people started to depend on me.”
Seeing the results of her work on track has been one of the most rewarding aspects of Almarzooqi’s role.
“During season two, we had six autonomous cars racing at very high speeds,” she said.
“Knowing I worked on those cars and seeing them cross the finish line was something I felt really proud of.”
From Access to Impact
As the only Emirati woman in her role, Almarzooqi is aware of what her presence represents.
“I feel like I’m opening the door for other girls who are interested in motorsport,” she said. “I’m really grateful for this opportunity. It’s a world I never imagined myself being part of.”
Her experience also reflects broader efforts in the UAE to link education with applied, real-world engineering.
February 11 marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, with the 2026 theme focusing on building inclusive futures by connecting AI, STEM, social science, and finance.
“What helped me turn interest into impact was access,” she said. “Access to education, practical training and real opportunities to work on real engineering systems.”
Initiatives such as A2RL, she added, are part of a wider ecosystem that connects research, education and industry.
“Through A2RL’s STEM programmes and the work of ATRC, young people get early exposure to advanced technology, turning curiosity into real capability.”
Almarzooqi plans to continue developing her skills as an engineer, deepening her understanding of both mechanical and systems-level racing.
“High-performance environments where technology is constantly evolving, that’s where I see my future,” she said.
For now, that future is being shaped in the garage - one inspection, one test, and one race weekend at a time.
