São Paulo – Brazilian Paula Breves, 57, has the unique experience of racing in Saudi Arabia under her belt. She and her teammate, Vilma Rafael, participated in the Rally Jameel in the Gulf country in March 2024 and are gearing up to face the competition again next year in March. This time, the race will start in Jordan but will once again pass through familiar Saudi territory.
“We’ve been participating in rallies for 16 years, and this was our first international competition. Since we are basically the only duo of Brazilian women with enough experience in this sport, due to the major events we’ve taken part in, we were invited by the Brazilian Automobile Confederation (CBA) to represent our country,” Breves told ANBA in an interview about her work as a driver and her experience in Saudi Arabia.
The Rally Jameel held its 3rd edition this year, featuring 40 teams. In addition to the Brazilian and Saudi participants, the sporting event also featured pairs from the United States, France, and Canada. Using different equipment and vehicles than what Breves is used to, the competition proved to be quite challenging.
“We went without our coach and had only two to three days to train with that equipment (a type of GPS) before the races started. In total, the event lasted four days, covering 1,000 miles. We spent nearly the entire day on each circuit, which made it quite exhausting. But at the same time, I felt very honored by the invitation and gave my best to leave a good impression of our country,” says the athlete.
Very proud to represent Brazil, the driver shares that the competition days required a lot of adaptation from her. “Although Saudi women only started driving in 2017, they’re excellent drivers and already have more experience in this type of rally, which is different from what we’re used to. In Brazilian competitions, the driver’s strength is more highly demanded, whereas there, navigation plays a more crucial role,” Breves recalls.
“I had to learn a lot in a short amount of time. Despite all the difficulties, we finished among the top 30 in the competition and were invited to participate again in March next year. The competition will start in Jordan, then pass through locations in Saudi Arabia. This time, since we’ll have more time to train, we aim to cinch a better position.”
As she had never competed outside of Brazil before, fear was also present when Breves arrived on Arab soil. “We didn’t know what to expect, but it ended up being a pleasant surprise. It was a very well-organized competition, and we were treated well and with the utmost respect. I really liked seeing how much the Arab country is encouraging women to drive and participate in rallies,” says Breves.
Paula Breves in rallies
Holding a degree in Veterinary Medicine, the Brazilian became a rally driver without any initial intention. “I’ve always loved driving, and a few years ago, I started helping my husband as a navigator. I’d accompany him in competitions and pay close attention to what he was doing. Then one day he couldn’t compete, and I replaced him. After that, I never stopped, and since then, I’ve participated in rallies in several states across the country alongside Rafael, who, interestingly, was my dentist.”
Unlike Breves, Rafael didn’t have any prior experience in the sport, but over the years, she dedicated herself and learned more. “We learned by competing, through everyday experiences. Now, with more experience, when we know we’re going to compete, we start by studying the terrain, figuring out which type of tire we’ll have to use, and preparing ourselves,” Breves says.
At the beginning, the athlete competed against women, but as she moved up in categories, she found no more female competitors to race against. So, she started competing against men.
“To this day, this is still a predominantly male sport, and because of that, we’re the only all-female duo competing in the Master category, one of the highest levels of Brazilian rally. While I act as the driver, my partner works as the navigator, meaning she’s responsible for taking care of the coordinates, telling me where to turn, when to accelerate, and when to slowdown,” she explains.
Breves, who first started participating in rallies as a hobby, now says the sport has basically become her profession. “When I’m not participating in rallies, which is quite rare, as there are competitions year-round, I work with an organization that cares for wild animals and with an app that helps organize people’s food pantry.”
In 16 years, Breves celebrates various achievements in the sport, including first place at the Mitsubishi Motorsports in 2023 and third place on the podium at the Rally Estado de São Paulo in 2015.
Read more:
From Brazil’s football fields to Saudi Arabia’s
Report by Rebecca Vettore, in collaboration with ANBA
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
