She doesn’t play with cars, she races them
Srinagar, Jun 14: At 11, Atiqa Mir speaks the language of motorsport speed, acceleration and racing strategy with a confidence that would leave most adults astonished.
She knows the importance of strengthening her neck, shoulders and core. She understands that every lap is an opportunity to improve. And she knows exactly where she wants to be in the next few years.
“Formula One,” she says without hesitation.
For most children her age, life revolves around school, friends and gadgets. For Atiqa, it revolves around race tracks spread across Europe, training sessions and podium finishes.
The young karting sensation, whose family traces its roots to Kashmir but is now settled in Dubai, has already become a recognised name in global karting circles. Yet, sitting in Kashmir during a family visit and speaking with remarkable composure, she comes across as a child singularly focused on one thing, speed.
Interestingly, she says she never really had the childhood toys many girls are associated with.
“I only had cars and I still do,” she says, smiling.
The fascination with motorsport began early.
Her father, Asif Mir, is a former Formula Asia driver and India’s first national karting champion. As a toddler, Atiqa would watch him race on tracks in Dubai. Those moments unknowingly sowed the seeds of an extraordinary dream.
“I used to watch my dad drive when I was three or four years old and I got inspired by him,” she recalls.
By the age of six, she had entered her first national-level competition.
“I finished second in my first race. Since the beginning, I knew I was really fast and that I had lots of potential,” she says.
The statement is not one of arrogance but one of self-belief, something that appears to define her personality.
Today, her racing calendar is packed with competitions across Europe. Just weeks ago, she created history in Greece during the Champions of the Future Academy Programme.
“I became only the third driver ever to do a clean sweep, qualifying on pole and winning all the races, including the final,” she says, her face lighting up at the memory.
In a sport largely dominated by boys, Atiqa often finds herself among the few girls on the grid. Most of her competitors are older and physically stronger.
Does that intimidate her?
Not really.
“The boys bully me on the track, but then I bully them back with speed,” she says with a laugh.
Perhaps that single sentence best captures the young racer, fearless, competitive and quietly determined.
Yet, racing at high speeds requires sacrifices, and Atiqa has accepted them early.
There is no social media in her life. No phone either.
“I think it is best to focus on one task at a time,” she says.
There is also little room for junk food.
“I am trying not to eat fries or pizzas and other unhealthy things. I eat a lot of proteins and train really hard because now I am racing with boys who are much older than me and fitness makes a big difference.”
Her training routine revolves around exercises designed specifically for motorsport.
“In karting, there is no seat belt. The only things holding you are your arms and core, so it is really important to be strong there.”
Despite her growing international profile, she remains grounded.
When she returns to school after winning a race, her classmates bombard her with questions.
“They ask me how many races there were, how fast we go and how many competitors were there. It is a lot of fun talking to them.”
There are trophies and accolades now. Fans approach her for photographs and autographs. But fame, she insists, has not changed her routine.
School remains equally important.
“I study in the mornings before going to the track and then again in the evenings after racing.”
Listening quietly nearby is her father, Asif Mir, a man who perhaps understands the demands of motorsport better than most.
Interestingly, he was initially reluctant to let his daughter race.
“I knew how difficult motorsport is and how demanding the journey to Formula One can be. Initially, I was opposed to it,” he says.
But Atiqa was persistent. “She kept wanting to go to the track. Then one day I could see signs of talent and here we are.” He knows the path ahead is steep.
Motorsport is among the world’s most expensive sports. It demands relentless travel, sophisticated equipment and enormous financial commitment.
Yet, like his daughter, he speaks less about the obstacles and more about possibilities.
For Atiqa, the road ahead leads to Italy, where she will contest another round of the Champions of the Future Academy Programme.
Beyond Italy lies an even bigger destination.
In five years, she wants to be competing in Formula Three or Formula Two. Her ultimate ambition is to reach Formula One at the earliest possible age. It is an audacious dream. But then, everything about Atiqa Mir’s story is unusual.
An 11-year-old girl with Kashmiri roots who never played with dolls, has no social media, avoids junk food and spends her childhood travelling from one race track to another. Most children count birthdays. Atiqa Mir counts laps. And somewhere between those laps and podium finishes, she is racing towards a dream called Formula One.
