Maria Luís Gameiro and Inês Ponte Grancha. Their love of adventure led the duo to the Jameel Rally

“Maria, let’s go!” That’s how co-driver Inês Ponte Grancha challenged driver Maria Luís Gameiro to apply for the vacancy opened by the Portuguese Automobile and Karting Federation (FPAK) to participate in the Jameel Rally.

The answer was not long in coming. “Well, why not?” thought Maria Luís Gameiro, even though she didn’t know what the event was about, as she revealed to LUZ magazine. A lover of adventures and challenges, her application was submitted and accepted for this experience.

But first, it was necessary to “understand better how it was unfolding”. The Jameel Rally is an exclusively female event and has been taking place for four editions, between Saudi Arabia and Jordan, between the 21st and 26th of April.

The duo set off with the primary objective of representing Portugal in the best possible way, something they believe they did, as they finished 11th overall out of 41 teams, seventh in the same class and second among the newcomers.

«It ended very positively. Obviously we would have liked to have done even better, but our inexperience in this type of race did not allow us to go any further. In any case, we finished well above the table, which makes us very proud of our performance», says Maria Luís Gameiro.

The 46-year-old pilot also points out as a source of pride that the organization itself really enjoyed the performance and presence of the Portuguese duo, valuing the more national facet, compared to the other duos participating in the event.

The aim of this organization, associated with the Saudi federation, is to open doors for women to drive, especially those from the Arab country itself, who, recalls Maria Luís Gameiro, “couldn't even drive a car until very recently”.

“This race is naturally very much aimed at Saudi women. Until very recently, they unfortunately did not have the freedom that we women in Western and European countries have had. It is very important for them,” she stresses.

Thus, organizing a rally with an international dimension was the way the Saudi federation found to encourage more women in motorsports “in a more assertive and comprehensive way”, and making the environment “a little more colorful”.

Inês Ponte Grancha is José Pedro Fontes' regular navigator in the National Rally Championship and has 'revived' a partnership with Maria Luís Gameiro, more than a decade after they competed side by side in a national off-road event.

Maria Luís Gameiro's passion is old, but her career is not. Her first contact with motorsports came in 2005, through her husband, who is also an off-road racer. Her desire to join a team grew stronger.

«I did a few short races in 2010 and 2011, but it was all very amateur, just to try out the cars and understand how things worked. However, life circumstances didn't allow me to continue», recalls Maria Luís Gameiro.

The driver used to compete in some races sporadically, something that changed in 2022. The team provided her with a car so she could race again “from a more competitive point of view”, which has already led her to victories in Portugal and Spain.

“Having some national and Spanish titles makes me very proud and happy, because in three years I managed to evolve a lot, given the circumstances I found myself in at the starting point”, he points out, in relation to his CV.

In this short career, Maria Luís Gameiro highlights three moments: the overall podium in the 2024 Spanish championship, her participation in the Dakar2025 and the Moroccan Desert Challenge, three weeks ago. The driver details what made them memorable.

“I was women’s champion in 2023 and 2024, in Portugal and Spain, but in 2024 I managed to get on the overall podium, not just the women’s podium. I didn’t get second place because I had to miss some races, but I was very happy. It was the first time that a Portuguese woman had such a high score in the Spanish championship”, she explains, in relation to the first of the three most important moments of her career.

Maria Luís Gameiro compares her experience at the Dakar to the Olympic Games, as it is the biggest event in the sport and the one that all off-road drivers dream of doing. She made her debut with a medal for finishing the race.

Recently, he also took part in the Moroccan Desert Challenge for the first time, finishing fifth overall in a Mini, a higher category car: “This is my first race in the desert with that car, and with co-driver Rosa Romero, who is accompanying me, which also makes me very proud.”

Outside of competition, Maria Luís Gameiro is a manager of several companies. When she started her career, she admits that her biggest challenge “was delegating tasks to other employees”, in addition to her husband, who ensures the company’s operations in her absence. In Portugal, she points out, it is almost impossible to become a professional pilot.

“With the exception of one or two situations, most of us can’t be professionals. There isn’t enough independence and support. We have to work to be able to continue to have our lives. It’s not easy to balance things, but everything can be achieved, with determination and organization,” says the driver, who tries not to think about missing home when she’s competing, trying to focus as much as possible on the races.

Looking to the future, the main goal is to repeat the Dakar experience, but instead of a Side-by-Side (SSV), he wants to take a Mini: «I know that I will be competing with the best drivers and cars in the world. I am preparing myself to be able to represent Portugal and Portuguese women in the best possible way», he concludes.