by Raashid Andrabi
SRINAGAR: In a heart-pounding display of skill and determination, Kashmir girl Miss Atiqa Asif Mir emerged as the youngest and most promising female karting prodigy in UAE. She claimed a remarkable 3rd place finish at the fiercely competitive DAMC Karting Championship Round 4, hosted at the Dubai Kartdrome in Motor City, Dubai, UAE.
Atiqa’s incredible journey is a testament to her talent, dedication, and the legacy of her father, former Racing driver Asif Nazir Mir, who was India’s first National Karting Champion in the year 2000, with a remarkable racing career that included Formula Asia and the Barber Dodge Pro Series in the USA.
Competing in the MicroMax Category, which is tailored for young talents aged 8 to 11 years old, Atiqa dazzled the audience with speeds reaching upwards of 92 kmph, all while battling the scorching heat of the Dubai desert. At just 8 years old, she showed her prowess by securing 1st place in the official practice session.
However, the real excitement came during the heats and finals. Atiqa, one of the youngest contenders in this category, briefly occupied the second position, leaving spectators on the edge of their seats. Unfortunately, her dreams of clinching victory were cut short when a red flag halted the race just two laps from the end due to an accident. Atiqa finished a mere two-tenths of a second behind the leader, displaying her undeniable potential.
Karting is a road racing variant of motorsport with open-wheel, four-wheeled vehicles known as go-karts or shifter karts. They are usually raced on scaled-down circuits, although some professional kart races are also held on full-size motorsport circuits. Karting is commonly perceived as the stepping stone to the higher ranks of motorsports, with most drivers of the Formula One—including Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg, Ayrton Senna, Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Kimi Räikkönen, and Fernando Alonso—having begun their careers in karting.
“I had a strong weekend in terms of pace, and everything was running well, but the red flag meant the race was cut short by 2 laps, and I ended up 3rd,” Atiqa, a student of Gems Jumeirah Primary School, told the media later. “I was confident of a victory, but it wasn’t meant to be. I will try again in next month’s Round 5 on the same track.”
Atiqa extended her appreciation to her dedicated team at Birel ART Italy, led by the legendary Mark Rose and assisted by Kingsley. She also thanked her sponsors and supporters who made her journey possible.
The racing world has been abuzz with Atiqa’s remarkable achievements. She burst onto the scene in 2021, beginning her racing career at the tender age of six. In her inaugural year, Atiqa astounded the UAE racing fraternity with her speed, maturity, and unwavering dedication. Competing in the Bambino Category (aged 5 to 8 years), she quickly became a race winner, often defeating drivers with years of experience.
Breaking gender stereotypes in a male-dominated sport, Atiqa has emerged as a role model for aspiring young girls eager to venture into motorsport. Her passion for racing knows no bounds, and her goal is to excel on the world stage.
Turning 8 years old in November 2022, Atiqa became eligible to compete in the Micro Max and Mini x30 categories, participating in the UAE National IAME and ROTAX Championships. Despite starting midway through the championships, she consistently impressed as one of the youngest and least experienced drivers on the grid, even securing a high qualifying position of 4th in Sharjah among a field of 20 karts.
Atiqa’s talent has not gone unnoticed, as she has been selected to drive for the World Championship-winning team, BIREL ART ITALY. With a world-class team of trainers and top-notch technical support, her aim is to become the first-ever female driver in modern Formula 1.
Right now Atiqa is the youngest and the only Female UAE Licensed driver in the UAE IAME x30 and Rotax Championship 2022-23 in Mini. She is the first Kashmiri Indian female driver to drive professionally at the age of 6 in an International Karting Championship, to win in an FIA International Karting Championship at the age of 6, to break a Lap Record at Dubai and to finish in 2nd place overall at a Karting Championship internationally.
Worth mentioning here, Atiqa is a prominent Kashmir businessman, Jamal Siraj’s grandson’s daughter.
