Eleven-year-old karting sensation Atiqa Mir from Srinagar has scripted history by becoming the first Indian and Asian female driver to be selected for the Formula 1 Academy’s prestigious Discover Your Drive development programme.
The initiative aims to identify and support promising young female racers from around the world through mentorship, training and development opportunities, helping pave their path toward professional motorsport.
Atiqa’s selection marks a significant milestone for Indian motorsport and Jammu and Kashmir, further highlighting the rapid rise of one of the country’s most exciting young racing talents.
Speaking about her journey, Atiqa credited her father, former racer Asif Mir, for inspiring her to take up the sport.
“I do professional go-karting. I got inspired by my father, who was a former Formula Asia driver and India’s first national karting champion. I saw him race in Dubai and wanted to follow in his footsteps,” she told ANI.
“I work a lot on my fitness and spend time on the simulator to improve my driving skills. I started professional karting in 2021 when I was seven years old in the bambino category,” she added.
Over the past few years, Atiqa has built an impressive reputation on both domestic and international karting circuits, consistently competing against some of the best young drivers in the world and earning recognition for her maturity, speed and racecraft.
Her father described the achievement as a landmark moment not only for the family but also for Indian motorsport.
“Atiqa has achieved things rarely seen in global motorsport. She is competing against boys and beating them, not just in India or Asia but also in Europe, which hosts some of the toughest racing categories in the world,” Asif Mir said.
A former Formula Asia driver and India’s first National Karting Champion, Asif believes his daughter’s progress reflects the growing potential of Indian motorsport on the global stage.
Atiqa’s breakthrough has drawn praise from across the sporting community, with many seeing her success as an inspiration for young girls looking to enter traditionally male-dominated sports.
As she embarks on the next phase of her development through the F1 Academy programme, the young racer from Srinagar continues to strengthen India’s presence in international motorsport while carrying the hopes of a new generation of aspiring drivers.