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A 10-year-old Indian girl aims to become a top race driver

Vaishali Dinakaran
May 23, 2025

Atiqa Mir aims to be the first female driver in modern day Formula 1 racing. It's a goal she's pursuing with tenacity. But excelling in competitive motorsport, especially as a young woman from India, comes with its challenges.

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At 10 years old, Atiqa Mir from India is chasing an extraordinary dream: to become the first female Formula 1 World Champion. Inspired by her father, Asif Mir — India's first National Karting Champion — Atiqa began karting at age five and now competes internationally under the UAE flag. She's overcoming physical demands and gender biases in motorsport to stand out with her determination, discipline, and natural talent. Supported by her family and coached by 2017 World Karting Champion Danny Keirle, Atiqa is learning to balance skill with aggression on the track. Her journey is backed by the F1 Academy’s Discover Your Drive programme, which aims to nurture female talent in racing. With fierce ambition and a clear vision, can Atiqa make it?

 

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About the show

The DW Sports Life show logo is seen next to a composite image of a male athlete in a wheelchair, a female athlete holding up a skateboard and another female athlete flexing her right biceps

Sports Life — Overcoming Challenges with Sports

Everything we know about life can be found in sports: Success and failure, euphoria and despair. Sports Life tells stories from across the globe, where sports drives personal growth and changes lives.