GQ South Africa – September 2019

Foucaultwasright:‘Power
is everywhereandcomes
fromeverywhere.’Right
now,intheArabworld,
thatpowercomeswith
fourwheelsanda woman
inthedriver’sseat.Inthe
caseofHananMazouzi,
thefounderofArabian
Gazelles,Dubai’sfirst
female-onlysupercar
club,it alsocomeswithan
abundanceofhorsepower.
‘Theyliftedthebanon
driving[forwomen]in
SaudiArabiaoneyearago,’
reflectsMazouzionerecent
morninginDubai.It’sclear:
theiconographycreatedby
theGazelleshascaughtthe
eyesoftheregion.
Mazouzifounded
ArabianGazellesin
2016.Sincethen,it’sgrown
tomorethan 50 active
members– a numberthat
continuestoswellacross
theregion.The43-year-old
Algerianforcehailsfrom
thelabyrinthinestreetsof
Algiers– whennotdriving
theGazellesforward,
she’salsothemotherof
twoteenagers,a self-
madeentrepreneurand
a Formula3 000racer.
Beinganenthusiast,an
aficionado– and,ofcourse,
anowner– is a prerequisite.
ArabianGazellesis
anythingbutlipservice.
‘Truthis,wewomencan
driveandwecancompete
andwedohavethesame
passion,’shesays.‘Menare
stillshockedwhenthey
seewomenbehindthe
wheel.Butperceptionsare
changing– oneguyat a time.’

What was your

plan when you first

arrived in Dubai,

20 years ago?

Not much. I studied

business, in both Arabic

and French. Back then,

my parents lived in Qatar,

but the best things were

happening in Dubai.

I arrived here to do a

short business course, in

English, and I ended up

spending my life here.

Explain the reaction

from your male peers

when you attended

your first F1.

I used to drive for

a supercar club, 99% of

whom were men – it was

challenging. At my first

F1, none of the guys

could read my name

properly; and as a result,

they thought I was a guy.

Every one of them must

have been thinking, “How

did that happen?” None

of them looked impressed.

But driving supercars is

no longer only for men.

And were there any

verbal interactions

or comments?

I remember the first time

I represented the [female-

only] supercar club. I was

told it was unusual for

a woman to be seen behind

the wheel – which surprised

me. Why was Formula 1

only for men? Why were

other hobbies only for men?

Wasn’t that sexist, too?

How do you feel

about taking the

road less travelled

in a male-dominated

society?

I didn’t start driving to

empower other women;

I wanted to share my

passion. Some men didn’t

want their wives to touch

cars at all. I was surprised

that of these men, some

were among our close

friends. But attitudes are

gradually changing.

I realise this when I sit

with the women I’ve

converted – women who

are really happy to have

joined the club and share

my passion.

What do you think

of masculinity

in the Middle East?

I feel that masculinity

shouldn’t stop at how

a man looks or what he

does; but should also

include how he supports

the women in his life.

For me, a real >>

‘They lifted

the ban on

driving [for

women]

in Saudi

Arabia one

year ago’

76 / September 2019 gq.co.za