Shattering gender stereotypes, 10-year-old Srinagar girl Atiqa Mir is now a Karting sensation and the youngest Formula 1 driver selected for the F1 Academy’s Discover Your Drive programme-one among only three girls globally to be picked.
Atiqa’s ambition is to top the motorsport world. “My dream is to be the first woman of the modern era to race in Formula 1,” she explained to Vogue India. “You just have to believe in the vision and work hard every day. I think I can do it.”
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Her path has not been straightforward. Karting coach Julia Lykakis praised Atiqa’s courage in a sport where girls and boys compete on equal terms. “Because Atiqa is so fast, the boys push her around all the time,” Lykakis said. “We’re talking of an age group that’s full of teenage boys with rising testosterone. No chance they’re going to let a girl pass them up without a struggle. But Atiqa keeps on training in earnest, cultivating both speed and toughness and disregarding stereotypes.
Her father, Asif Mir, once worried about her safety, now beams with pride. “Previously, she needed my help even to get in and out of the car. Now she has her professional staff by her side but she will still revert to me,” he said. “You don’t want to be negative but you’re a parent. There is always something at the back of your mind. I try to keep it there, at the back.”
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Atiqa’s story has touched users on social media. One commented, “The best thing on the internet today.” Another said, “She’s the rising star! Definitely watch out on her.’
She is a living example of how hard work and determination can overcome hurdles and bring success regardless of age and gender.
