Atiqa Mir: Nine-year-old karting prodigy from Kashmir races to the top with dreams of F1 breakthrough

Pushing the limits is a common term in the world of motorsport. Taking a cue from Formula One champions Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, who all started out as precocious karters, is nine-year-old Atiqa Mir from Kashmir.

She had a major headstart in her career and made her way through the pack in quick time.

What started as a fascination for driving electric cars for fun in the malls of Dubai soon evolved into her producing impressive lap timings, which shocked many, including her father, who was India’s first national karting champion.

“I started to see signs and I kept giving her time challenges. She kept beating them and surprised everyone,” said Asif Nazir Mir, who also raced in Formula Asia, alongside Karun Chandhok.

He saw that his daughter was serious about the sport and wasted no time in getting her to compete at a higher level. They worked on her fitness and skills and soon, she found herself on the starting grid of karting races.

It did not take long for Atiqa to rise above the ranks – at the age of six, she became the first and youngest Indian female driver to win in an FIA International Championship – the IAME Bambino National Day Cup 2021.

Two years later, she got her professional Karting National License and began to compete in National Championship Races in the UAE. In her first full season racing in the Mini R category of the UAE IAME National Karting Championship, the prodigy was crowned vice-champion, thus securing the highest-placed finish for any female under 10 years in any CIK FIA national championship in 2023-24.

Her passion for the sport is further evident in the way she brings her diary to races to calm herself down before she locks herself in.

“I am very nervous before my race. But when I’m actually in the car, I don’t feel scared anymore. I tell myself I can win this race and that I’m ready to go. I’m not one of those people who is scared to strike. If I don’t have a good start, I know I have to make it up on the next corner or the next lap,” said a bright-eyed Atiqa.

Her determination to be the fastest on track has helped her frequently finish in the top-seven among more than 20 drivers in the UAE National IAME Championship, with a win, two Lap records and consistent top-five finishes.

And she did so among boys.

Atiqa has also competed at the IAME Euro Series, Spanish IAME National Championship and is slated for some marquee events in the coming weeks like RMC International at Le Mans and the Kartmasters UK.

But she enjoys racing in India, her ‘home country’. In the first two rounds of the MECO RMC Indian National Karting Championship in Bengaluru, she finished in the top-five.

“It feels really good to be in the top-three and battling for the win. Not many people can do that, especially girls can’t. So, it motivates me to do better,” she said.

Away from the circuit, Atiqa balances her racing career with school. Heading into year 5 in a couple of months, Atiqa said that her teacher and principal at Gems Jumerirah Primary School in Dubai have been supportive and have helped her catch up with her lessons despite her tight schedule.

Her consistent achievements on the track have helped her become the only Asian to be shortlisted for the Iron Dames new Young Talents Initiative, a programme to identify and nurture young female karting talents aged eight to 13.

Atiqa, the youngest among 11 girls, has been shortlisted for the first-ever selection process by the all-women motorsports team that made history last year as the first all-female team to win a race in the World Endurance Championship (at the 2023 8 Hours of Bahrain).

The first round, which is scheduled to take place from July 29-30 in Franciacorta, Italy, will be scouted with support from the Italy-based PREMA Racing motorsport team. If Atiqa passes the assessment, she will be chosen to train at their academy.

As she dreams to become one of the first-ever female drivers in Formula One, she is confident in her ability to emulate her idol Verstappen and attain ultimate glory on the track.

Until then, Atiqa will be preparing to ace the Young Dames evaluation by working at the gym and racing on the simulator alongside her father – who has always been her inspiration – and outpacing him, that too by a mighty second.

“When you’re an ex-racer, you don’t want to be beaten, but as a father, you want to be beaten,” said Asif, who hopes to see her daughter enter the big league.