Woman Spotlight Wednesday: Arshia Akhtar
- Kavi Khandelwal
- 4m
- 3 min read
Written by Kavi Khandelwal
Women have played an influential role throughout the history of motor racing. Many have taken to the wheels of motorsport machines, while numerous figures have worked tirelessly on the sidelines in various roles, shaping the motor racing world to the present day.
Woman Spotlight Wednesday aims to take a look at the tales of these superwomen, who have surpassed various hurdles to reach where they are today. In this article, we spotlight a titanic name in the world of rallying, someone who remains a forerunner of females in motorsport today.
The name Arshia Akhtar might not be well known yet, but she has emerged as a groundbreaking figure across two highly demanding fields: clinical cancer research and professional motorsports.
She holds a series of historic firsts to her name, most notably as the first Pakistani woman to secure a professional license from the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). She became a symbol of professional autonomy and interdisciplinary excellence as she balanced a career as a physician with the high-pressure environment of formula racing.
Early life and first barriers
Akhtar was born in Lahore, Pakistan, and raised in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Her early life was shaped by a rather restrictive environment for women. Due to the ban of women driving in Saudi Arabia, her early exposure to motorsports was limited to karting tracks, where she began competing at the age of 11.
Akhtar and her father shared an intense interest in sports. This kind of family support allowed her to pursue her athletic ambitions despite societal expectations. She did not learn to drive a standard automatic car until moving to the United States in 2017, and only mastered the manual transmission required for formula racing in late 2024, a remarkable detail of her career.
Medicine under pressure
Off the track, Akhtar is a physician and an accomplished clinical researcher based in the United States. Her work focuses on the early detection of terminal illnesses, specifically in the field of oncology. Akhtar also collaborates with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to bring experimental chemotherapies and diagnostic tools to the medical market.
The “CLiMB” study is a major part of her career. It is a large-scale clinical trial aimed at improving the early detection of liver cancer. This research essentially tests a novel blood-based diagnostic tool that could potentially replace traditional, less sensitive ultrasounds.
Her medical background provides her with a unique analytical mindset. She observed that a mind capable of standing up to high stress and life-and-death situations in oncology is perfect preparation for life on a racetrack.
Fast-tracked into Formula racing
Akhtar’s ascent in the racing world has been exceptionally rapid. She moved from basic driver training to national-level formula racing in a remarkably short time. She began her formal training in late 2024 at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex with SCCA Driver School.
She moved quickly from production cars to Formula Vee and Formula 4, eventually reaching the Formula Regional Americas championship. In her 2025 rookie season, she even achieved a breakthrough podium finish at the historic Road America circuit in Wisconsin and finished fourth overall in the season points standings in Formula Race Promotions.
As a self-funded athlete, Akhtar manages the high costs and logistical demands of the sport entirely on her own. She starts her research job at 7:30 a.m. before dedicating her evenings and weekends to training and travel.
Redefining the norm
Akhtar’s success is a direct challenge to the underrepresentation of women in motorsports, who make up only about 10% of participants globally. As the first Pakistani woman in single-seater racing and the first to hold an FIA license, she is working toward a Grade B license and eventually a Super License.
Her personal philosophy centres on the idea that achievement creates its own precedent. She famously stated, “We make our own norms. If you truly believe that something should be normal and you do it… then it will become normal.”
Currently, she is transitioning toward Formula E, a high-speed electric racing category that emphasises technical strategy and reflexes. Through her example, she hopes to inspire a new generation of women to enter the industry as drivers, engineers and technical leaders.
Akhtar's career boasts a rare blend of science and sport. Be it coordinating the execution of a clinical trial to save lives, Akhtar races on the driving track with the same level of dedication and focus. By "making her own norms," she has broken all barriers in her way, in her cultures and profession, to show the world that one can achieve the pinnacle in two entirely different fields.
