Rwandan rally driver Queen Kalimpinya has said that more women are joining the motorsport in Rwanda not just to participate but with an ambition to win races.
Kalimpinya became the first woman to participate in Rwandan motorsport competitions in 2019, starting as a co-driver of Olivier Ngabo until she started racing as a driver during the 2022 Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally, becoming the first ever female Rwandan rally driver to do so.
Her journey inspired the likes of media personalities Anita Pendo and Sandrine Isheja to join the sport and started to participate in some races that took place in 2024, a year that the former Miss Rwanda finalist described as a groundbreaking occasion for the future of women in motorsport.
Sharing her reflections of 2024 during the FIA Awards at BK Arena on Friday night, Kalimpinya said that she was excited to see more women joining her in the sport and want to make their presence felt by winning some races in the future.
"The most interesting thing about this year is the growing presence of women in motorsport. It really showed that we are not only present but we are also competing. So we are here to mark our ground and it shows that we really belong on the track,” she said.
And, yes, Kalimpinya is not a rally participant anymore and 2024 also saw her making the podium in at least half of the races that she participated in including the 2024 Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally.
"The past 12 months have been the best year for our team so far. We won about half of the races and consistently reached the podium in most of the others. It has been a phenomenal season,” she said.
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Looking ahead, Kalimpinya outlined ambitious goals for 2025 where she sets sights on participating at international rallies like World Rally African championships.
Kalimpinya attended the FIA Awards 2024 ceremony at BK Arena. The prize giving gala attracted many world’s top drivers including Formula One 2024 champion Max Verstappen and Bristing star Lando Norris who finished in second place.
She said meeting them was a golden experience which inspired to dream of achieving more in her career in the future.
"Seeing the people we usually watch on TV and the cars we dream of is truly inspiring,” she remarked, commending FIA president Mohammed Ben Suleyman for choosing Rwanda to host the Awards.