Having voluntarily moved up from Mini to the much more challenging Junior category, 11-year-old Indian racing prodigy Atiqa has shown ability and maturity far beyond her years with outstanding performances at the start of her 2026 International Karting season.
As the only woman on the world-class WSK Super Masters grid, she raced in Europe in sub-zero temperatures and on tracks of which she had little experience, in the paddock with a sizzling second place in qualifying to open the season.
At the following round at the iconic Circuit di Napoli, the F1 Academy-backed driver put on another fine display of her talent, setting the sixth fastest time in treacherous wet conditions. In the race, she fought her way through the men’s field of more than 45 karts and gained up to 16 positions.
The move from Mini, which caters to drivers aged 8 to 12, to the OKNJ Junior class for 12 to 14 year olds is a massive step up. Nevertheless, the F1 aspirant accepted the challenge and adapted to the heavier machinery like a duck to water.
To put the jump in perspective, the OKNJ karts are 30kg heavier, going from 115kg in Mini trim to 145kg in Junior. They also produce almost three times the horsepower, jumping from 10 horses with a top speed of 105 km/h to 29 horses capable of reaching 126 km/h.
Atiqa’s stunning performance quickly became the talk of the paddock, impressing her trainer Felice Tiene. Considered one of the best in the business, Tiene has mentored several karting world champions.
“I started working with Atiqa at the first test in La Conca this year. She immediately showed what she is capable of. In her first qualification, in a new category, new environment, new people, basically everything new for her, she immediately qualified for P2,” said Tiene.
“Not only the result itself, but also her approach and attitude to work are something special. We are in the process of learning after La Conca, Sarno and Viterbo.
“She’s been strong even on tracks she doesn’t know. She can pick things up quickly and be quick right away.
“She is young and has time to learn what it takes to become one of the best female drivers in motorsport. I can see her winning in karts and graduating to earn a place in a major Formula series,” added the Italian in glowing praise of Atiqa, who is trying to break the Formula 1 barrier for female racers.
Atiq’s father, Asif Mir, understands the demands of top-level racing, having finished second in the Formula Asia series in the early 2000s. Even he was amazed at her rapid progress.
“We took a big risk by moving Atiqa to Junior so early and straight to the WSK level. We missed the UAE and other championships. It was a big risk and we asked a lot of her.”
“If you consider the challenges she has faced, you can appreciate her performance even more. She has exceeded my expectations so far and I hope she continues to do so against all odds. It will strengthen her for the future,” said Asif.
Atiqa will be in action next week in the third round of the WSK Super Masters in Italy.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
February 17, 2026