Woman Spotlight Wednesday: Atiqa Mir

Written by Aashna Singh, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri

Credit: Atiqa Mir via Instagram

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 junior competitor, already making her mark in motorsports. 

Aged only 10, Atiqa Mir is quickly emerging as one of motorsport’s youngest and most promising talents. As she climbs up the ranks, Mir is proving that age is no barrier to ambition–or results. 

Background and early life

Mir was born in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India, but later relocated to Dubai. She is the daughter of Asif Nazir Mir, India’s first national karting champion in 2000. She had developed a fascination for cars at an early age and started competitive karting at six. 

Her father stated in an interview with The New Indian Express: “[At 6] her natural speed was shocking…we started pushing her…and the journey started.” 

National and international success

Mir started competing in the UAE karting circuit at the age of six. By the 2023 and 2024 seasons, she was vice-champion in the UAE IAME National Karting Championship.

She was the first female and first Indian to win a Rotax Max Challenge International Trophy race at Le Mans, and the first female Indian to reach the Rotax Euro Trophy finals. 

She is known as the fastest female karter under the age of 10 globally, with multiple track records. 

In an interview with Sports NDTV, Mir expressed her passion: “Racing brings me joy… I’m ready to work hard… One day, I hope to race in Formula 1.” 

Talent recognition and Academy support

In June 2024, when Mir was only nine years old, she became the only Asian finalist in the Iron Dames Young Talents initiative, backed by PREMA Racing. 

In March 2025, she became the first Indian selected for F1 Academy’s “Discover your drive” program, and just three months after, having signed with AKCEL GP Academy in Abu Dhabi as the youngest Indian to secure a spot in a professional development program aligned with F1 Academy efforts. 

Credit: The New Indian Express

Current plans and what comes next

The young karter is still competing internationally across key championships–Rotax, IAME, WSK Euro/Super Master Series, and a competitive program labelled Champions of the Future. 

She joined the Babyrace driver academy located in Italy for the 2025 WSK season, becoming the first female Indian racer to compete in WSK’s Mini class. 

AKCEL GP Academy will launch in August 2025, offering her simulator practice, physical training, mental coaching and a pathway from elite karting to single-seater racing like Formula 4 and Formula 3. 

The road forward

In a sport long defined by experience and age, Atiqa Mir is rewriting the narrative—one lap at a time. Her journey from Srinagar to international podiums is proof that no dream is too bold, and no driver too young, to leave a mark. The motorsport world should keep watching—because Mir is just getting started.