July 2, 2016 – The Arsoun Hill Climb‘s entry list featured an unusual name: it was Lara Helou, a female driver who decided it was time to give the guys a challenge. We recently sat with Lara in order to talk more about her Arsoun experience in addition to her plans in motorsport. Lara had a lot to say, and you’ll find everything in the Q&A below.
Q: Lara, you were the only female competitor in Arsoun Hill Climb, but was it your first appearance in motorsport?
A: No, it wasn’t my first appearance. I competed almost 9 years ago in Falougha Hill Climb and Bkassine Hill Climb, which were part of the ATCL’s Lebanese Hill Climb Championship, in addition to a race in Syria. I had an old BMW, older than my current E30 3 Series.
Q: What made you return to racing? Was it a personal decision or did someone encourage you?
A: To be honest, it was my husband who encouraged me to return because it was a really tough decision, especially after having 2 kids. My husband gifted me the BMW E30 on my birthday; Ziad Feghali is the one preparing the car and he’s the one helping me progress.
Q: Tell us more about your Arsoun Hill Climb experience.
A: I didn’t know the road in Arsoun at all. We practiced in Falougha, and then there was a last-minute switch to Arsoun. I didn’t push because I did not know the road and I wasn’t very familiar with the car, but I think I’m gonna do much better in the upcoming round because I’m going to practice well.
Q: Why did you choose the Lebanese Hill Climb Championship? Why not the Lebanese Speed Test Championship in which there are other female competitors?
A: The Lebanese Speed Test Championship is a potential program for next year, but honestly, the Hill Climb Championship has a better taste to it. I don’t feel that Speed Test is a kind of motorsport that excites me, unlike Hill Climb racing. Speed Tests are limited to a parking lot and cones, whereas in a Hill Climb, you can race at higher speeds and you can push more, which I find highly appealing.
Q: With the right amount of practice and experience, do you think you would be able to compete with the guys ahead of you?
A: Of course. My aim right now is to get closer to the guys ahead of me, and this is what I’m practicing for. I don’t plan on competing with Roger Feghali (laughs), but I will do my best to challenge the drivers ahead.
Q: Is there another car that you would’ve liked to compete in?
A: We had a plan with Ziad [Feghali] to drive a Mitsubishi, but I was against the idea as I really love BMWs. If I want to change the E30, I would switch to a newer BMW, but I wouldn’t try a different brand. It’s a very challenging car to drive and it’s not easy to control.
Q: What would you like say to other women interested in motorsport?
A: Motorsport is something I love, and I feel extremely happy when I see my little girls watching me on TV. Any woman who likes the sport and is financially capable should give it a try. It’s financially difficult to get into motorsport, and if it weren’t for my husband I wouldn’t be competing, so yes, it requires passion and funding to be able to compete, and every woman should do it if both of those are available.
Q: What are your plans for this season and the next one?
A: I will be tackling the remaining rounds of this year’s Lebanese Hill Climb Championship, but the bigger plan is competing in a full Lebanese Rally Championship season, maybe next year, maybe the one after, but the plan is there, and I will probably compete on a front-wheel drive car, but nothing’s official yet.
Q: Lara, thank you for your time, is there anyone you would like to thank?
A: Of course I would like to thank my husband for his immense support, and I would like to thank Ziad Feghali for sparing the time to help me practice and improve; Ziad is not a normal driver, he’s a professional. I hope I can do well in the next Hill Climb, in which I aim to make progress.