Aliyyah Koloc: From Tennis Courts to Racetracks - Redefining the Future of Motorsports

Aliyyah Koloc’s path to professional motorsports wasn’t a conventional one. While many racers begin their journey in karting as young children, Koloc was set on a completely different trajectory—pursuing a career in professional tennis until an injury forced her to reconsider her future. That pivot led her to racing, where she quickly made history as the youngest woman to compete in the Dakar Rally and the youngest truck racing winner.

At just 20 years old, Koloc has already built an impressive motorsports career across multiple disciplines, from circuit racing to rally. But beyond the trophies and achievements, her journey is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and breaking barriers in a male-dominated sport.

Despite coming from a motorsports family, with her father making his mark as a two-time European truck racing champion, Koloc didn’t immerse herself in racing from an early age. Instead, she spent most of her childhood training to become a professional tennis player. “Until I was 14, I was really full-on focused on becoming a professional tennis player,” she shared. “I didn’t really get into motorsports until I was 15. I loved watching races, but I never really got involved because I was so focused on tennis.”

When a career-ending injury halted her tennis aspirations, Koloc found herself drawn to racing. And despite starting later than most, she didn’t ease into the sport with karting like many young drivers. Instead, she jumped straight into truck racing—a bold and unconventional start. “It was for sure a crazy, crazy jump from tennis to big, big trucks,” she recalled. “Even in my first race weekend, I got pole position. So a lot was happening in a very short amount of time.”

Her rapid progression led to more success, making history as the youngest winner in truck racing before moving on to GT racing and rally. She also claimed the title of female French truck racing champion in 2021 and still holds two truck racing speed records to this day. “We’ve been doing a lot the past four years, and we’ve achieved quite a lot,” she said. “But I still feel like this is just the beginning.”

Switching from an individual sport like tennis to the high-adrenaline world of racing required major adjustments, but Koloc found that some skills transferred surprisingly well. “Tennis taught me a lot of discipline because you train for hours and hours, day in and day out,” she explained. “That discipline helped me transition into racing.”

The mental aspect of competitive sports also gave her an edge. “Growing up in competition, you adapt better. Tennis helped me prepare physically and mentally for racing because, even though it’s a completely different sport, the competition mindset is similar.”

Still, the transition wasn’t without its challenges. “Tennis is more elegant, more graceful. Racing, on the other hand, is intense and fast-paced—plus, it’s a male-dominated sport,” she said. “So, it was a pretty crazy jump.”

Most drivers specialize in one form of motorsport, whether it be circuit racing, endurance, or rally. Koloc, however, has chosen to combine rally raids and GT4 endurance racing, building on her diverse experience across multiple disciplines. While she no longer competes in truck racing, this varied background has helped her develop into a well-rounded driver.

“I started racing in so many different categories to improve my skills faster,” she explained. “Circuits require you to be more precise and clean, while in rally, you need to be a more complete driver who really understands the car technically.”

While she enjoys both, rally seems to be where her passion is heading. “I don’t have a favorite yet, but maybe I’m slowly leaning more toward rallying,” she admitted. “Still, I feel very lucky to be able to do both.”

One of Koloc’s most impressive achievements is competing in the Dakar Rally, known as one of the toughest endurance races in the world. “Dakar is the biggest test—not just in racing, but as a person,” she said. “You really need to push yourself to the limit.”

Her first Dakar experience was an eye-opener. “Before my first Dakar, I watched from the sidelines and thought, ‘Okay, maybe I can do this.’ But after my first one, I realized how insanely difficult it really is,” she admitted. “It taught me how to be more mentally resilient and tougher.”

Despite the grueling conditions, Koloc has now completed three Dakar Rallies—all before the age of 21. “It’s crazy to think I’ve already done three Dakars at just 20 years old,” she said. “I think I’m not doing too bad.”

While Koloc has already made history, she’s far from finished. Her next goal? To compete at the highest level of rallying and go up against major manufacturers. “This year, we made a really big improvement. The results might not show it, but we’ve taken huge steps compared to last year,” she explained. “Now, I just want to keep improving and compete with the best in the world.”

Koloc isn’t just making an impact on the track—she’s also an advocate for autism-related initiatives in multiple countries, including the Czech Republic, UAE, Seychelles, and Vanuatu. As someone with Asperger’s, she hopes to use her platform to raise awareness and inspire others.

“Since I started racing, I realized no one really talks about this, especially in a sport like motorsports where everything is so exposed,” she said. “I wanted to help girls or anyone who struggles with the same challenges I do.”

One of her biggest struggles was public speaking—but through racing and advocacy, she’s grown in confidence. “Speaking was really difficult for me in the beginning. But over the past four or five years, I’ve improved a lot,” she shared. “In the Czech Republic, we have a great community, and it’s been really cool to meet people and support each other.”

Her message to others? “If you think it’s a problem, it doesn’t have to be. You can use it to help yourself improve.”

As a young woman in a male-dominated sport, Koloc has faced her share of challenges. “At the start of my racing career, I definitely had some situations that weren’t great—people making gendered comments and not taking me seriously,” she recalled.

But instead of letting negativity hold her back, she used it as fuel. “I just use it as motivation. And honestly, it’s getting better. In Dakar, there were so many girls competing, which is amazing to see.”

Her advice to other women entering motorsports? “If you get hate comments, it probably means you’re doing something right.”

For young women hoping to follow in her footsteps, Koloc’s message is simple: love what you do, work hard, and take every opportunity.

“First, you need to love it. That’s the most important thing—having fun,” she said. “Then, you need to have a great support system, people who believe in you and guide you. And finally, you need to work hard and believe you can do it.”

At just 20, Aliyyah Koloc has already achieved milestones that most racers can only dream of. But for her, the journey is just getting started. Whether on the track, in the desert, or advocating for greater inclusivity, she is proving that motorsports is a space where women belong and can thrive.

All pictures courtesy of Buggyra ZM Racing