Interview with Atiqa Mir: The 10-year Old Karting Sensation and Her Dream of Reaching F1

Women have been underrepresented in motorsport for far too long, but finally, the tide is turning. In recent years, the major racing series have upped their game to increase diversity and put more women in the spotlight. From the all-female F1 Academy to mixed-gender formats like Extreme E and even the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where 5 women started this year, change is happening. At the grassroots level, the push is getting stronger with more initiatives to get young girls into racing and build future racers from the ground up.

One of the names to emerge from this is Atiqa Mir, a young driver showing what’s possible when opportunity meets talent. Mir at just 10 years old, is already creating a strong presence in motorsport. Born in Dubai with Indian roots, she is the youngest driver from the region to join a professional racing development programme. Now part of the AKCEL GP Academy, Atiqa is showing how early passion and discipline can pay off on track.

Her portfolio includes participation in the Rotax Euro Trophy and WSK Super Master Series. With consistent results and clear focus, Atiqa has built a name for herself in international karting. She races alongside school, a balance that requires strong support and dedication. In this feature, she tells us how she prepares for race weekends, handles pressure and stays motivated.

We had the opportunity to ask Atiqa a few questions about her journey, her goals, and what keeps her pushing ahead.

What sparked your interest in karting, and what do you enjoy most about it?

I got into racing because of my dad, who was a former Formula Asia driver and even a Vice Champion in that series. When I was five, I watched some of his races on his phone, which inspired me to start karting myself. That’s really how it all began. I love karting because it’s fast-paced and full of adrenaline. It demands intense focus and concentration, as you strive to put together that one perfect lap. Every driver is always chasing that flawless performance.

Tell us about your partnership with Akcel GP. How did it start, and where do you see it going in the future?

Akcel GP Academy has signed me for their Junior Driver Program. Together, we aim to achieve our goal, which is to bring the first woman to modern Formula 1. Through their expertise in Karting, F4, FRECA and upwards to Formula 1, it will provide me a platform to hone my skills in their professional team.

What does the practice routine of a talented individual such as yourself look like? What does it involve?

On a typical day, my training starts in the morning with an hour of cardio—usually running or skipping. After school, I hit the gym for about 30 minutes, focusing on plyometrics and strength training. I wrap up my routine with another half hour on the kart simulator in the evening. Altogether, I spend around 2 hours training each day.

What, in your opinion, are the key focus areas that can help improve racing?

Yes, there are aspects of racing that can be improved like if you can’t overtake, just try once on a normal practice day to drive with a senior driver and practice racing and overtaking, if you’re struggling with defending your position then keep the kart tight on the apex so that the kart/guy behind you can’t get an undercut or just simply practice on a normal practice day driving on the inside line and pretending that there is actually a kart behind you and you’re fighting for the lead on the last lap of the race. I think these things that I mentioned are the most common mistakes and areas where drivers make mistakes, especially in racing.

If your kart could talk, what do you imagine it would say about you as a driver?

I think, if my kart could talk, it would say this; “You are a very fast and smooth driver, very late on the brakes and have a very unique driving style compared to other drivers, I just would recommend you to try and improve your racing and if you could, I think that you would make a perfect driver”.

Who is your inspiration?

My inspiration at first was my dad, at least until I was around five years old, and then, when I got some common knowledge and sense, I started to understand and watch Formula One seriously. My favourite driver is Max Verstappen, and it is still the same till today.

To wrap things up, how would you describe your journey so far, and where do you see yourself in the future?

I think that my journey/career in Karting is going very good, still a lot of things to improve on. I’ve already been karting for 4 years, and the hard work doesn’t stop. There are a lot of sacrifices I have to make to get to my goal. I see myself in Formula One at the age of eighteen, which is in less than eight years time. I’m blessed to have so much support from my family, my fans, Akcel GP and F1 Academy.

And finally, just a quick little message to all of the girls out there: “Believe in yourself, find a passion, dream it, follow it, work hard on it, never give up and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it”. A big thank you to everyone who has supported and helped me in my karting career, including my family, coaches and mentors and even my fans who always support me wherever I am. Thank you and bye!