Karting prodigy Atiqa Mir, 11, from Srinagar has made a historic achievement as the first Indian and Asian female racer to be chosen for the prestigious “Discover Your Drive” development program of the Formula 1 Academy.
The project aims to seek out and nurture the next generation of talented young female car racers from around the globe, providing them with mentorship, exposure and development opportunities to help take them to the next level in professional motorsport.
Atiqa is one of India's emerging young motorsport talents who has been impressing on the karting track with a string of impressive performances in local and international events. The selection for the program is a historic event not just for Indian motorsports but also for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, putting it on the racing map.
Speaking about her journey into racing, Atiqa said, “I do professional go-karting. I started because I got inspired by my father, who was a former Formula Asia driver and India’s first national karting champion. So I got inspired by him, and I saw him race a little bit in Dubai too. So I started out by myself. I do a lot of fitness, and I try to work a lot on the simulator as well to improve my driving skills. I started in 2021 professionally when I was seven years old in the bambino category.”
Her father, former racer Asif Mir, hailed the achievement as a landmark moment in motorsport.”Atiqa is now a veteran of things not often seen in world motorsports. Perhaps it is a unique sporting discipline: in motorsport, there is no division between men and women categories; hence, despite the significant progress of women over the course of history, nobody has made a big step until now.
Key Highlights:
- Historic First: Atiqa Mir becomes the first Indian and Asian female selected for the F1 Academy's Discover Your Drive program.
- Rising Star: The 11-year-old karting prodigy has impressed in national and international competitions.
- Trailblazer: Her selection boosts India's global motorsport presence and inspires future women racers.
“What Atiqa is doing right now is historic; she is competing against men and beating them. She isn’t just doing this in India or Asia, but in Europe, which hosts the toughest racing categories in the world. As for my own background, I was India’s first National Karting Champion and the vice-champion of the Formula Asia series,” he said
Talent, discipline and determination has helped Atiqa make the strides that she has made. Her record of maturity and skill beyond her own years on international circuits is testimony to her competing at a level with some of the best young drivers in the world.
Her success has been recognized and applauded by sports enthusiasts in Jammu and Kashmir and beyond, and has been interpreted as a symbol for young girls to defy conventions and pursue careers in what is often considered a male-dominated industry. With the Formula 1 Academy program, Atiqa takes the next step in her motorsport career, carrying the hopes of a new generation of racers and bolstering India's motorsport presence on the international stage.
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