Categories: Other Sports

F1 Academy Signs 10-Year-Old Indian Karting Star Atiqa Mir

10-year-old karting star Atiqa Mir made history on Friday by becoming the first Indian and Asian to be signed by the Formula 1 Academy for its driver program. This is a huge achievement, highlighting her impressive rise in motorsports.

From Jammu and Kashmir to Formula 1 Academy: Atiqa Mir’s Inspirational Journey

The F1 Academy, which is a racing series for women owned by Formula 1, chose Atiqa Mir for its Discover Your Drive Program (DYD) after closely following her strong performances in karting. Atiqa, from Jammu and Kashmir, is one of only three drivers in the mini category (ages 8-11) worldwide to be selected for the program.

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Atiqa will represent the Formula 1 Academy at the Champions of the Future Academy Program Championship, which includes six rounds across Europe and the Middle East, starting this weekend.

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The F1 Academy is supporting Atiqa’s exceptional talent by offering financial and technical backing, including resources for her fitness, driving, and mental preparation.

Being signed by the F1 Academy is a huge milestone in Atiqa’s growing racing career, and she fully understands the importance of this opportunity.

“I’m so excited to hear this amazing news. To be chosen by Formula 1 Academy is a huge honour for me and for us here in India. I will work hard and perform at my best and repay the faith out in me by Formula 1 Academy. It is massively encouraging for me and I take great pride in representing my country,” said Atiqa.

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Formula 1 launched the F1 Academy to specifically develop and prepare female drivers for advancement to higher levels of single-seater racing.

The managing director of the F1 Academy is Susie Wolff, a former racer who has also driven a Formula 1 car.

“To drive the meaningful change we want to see in our sport, we can’t just talk, we need to act. I see a lot more girls competing competitively in karting and we want to make sure that the best have the opportunity to progress,” said Wolff, who is also the wife of Mercedes F1 team boss Toto Wolff.

“The introduction of an F1 Academy rookie test and the continuation of our collaboration with Champions of the Future Academy Program are unprecedented opportunities for young emerging talent and will help us cultivate a competitive pipeline of talent for F1 Academy for years to come,” she added, referring to rookie test introduced for the senior category.

The F1 Academy not only aims to create a pathway for female drivers to reach higher levels in motorsport but also hopes to help a female driver reach Formula 1, the highest level of racing.

With the announcement on Friday, Atiqa joined a small group of female drivers working to break this barrier.

Last month, Atiqa became the first Indian female to sign up for a full season with World Series Karting.

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Unnati Madan

Unnati is a passionate cricket writer with a deep love and understanding of the game. As a female cricket writer, she brings a unique perspective to the sport, having had to overcome various challenges to pursue her passion for cricket. Growing up, Unnati developed a love for cricket by watching matches with her family. She was always fascinated by the way the game was played, and would often spend hours reading about cricket, analyzing matches, and learning more about the sport. However, as a female in a male-dominated industry, she faced numerous obstacles to pursue her passion for cricket writing. Despite this, Unnati persevered and became an accomplished writer in the field. Unnati’s writing style is engaging and insightful, with a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the nuances of the game. Her articles are known for their depth of analysis, and she is often sought after for her strong opinions on the sport. Unnati has a unique ability to break down complex ideas and make them accessible to a wide audience, which has helped her build a large following of readers.