ATIQA MIR Makes History as First Indian to Get F1 Academy Support

October 24, 2025

• Ten-year-old ATIQA MIR just made history as the first Indian driver to receive technical and financial backing from Formula One through the newly launched Champions of the Future Academy Program in the UAE. We’re watching a kid who’s already won races in the RMC Championship get the kind of institutional support that can change everything – and she’s doing it at an age when most drivers are still figuring out which pedal does what.
• The numbers tell a story that should make everyone pay attention: female participation in COTFA has skyrocketed from 5% to 30% in just two years. That’s not gradual progress, that’s a revolution in real time. When F1 Academy Managing Director Susie Wolff talks about seeing talent rise “on merit alone” with spec equipment and capped budgets, she’s describing exactly the kind of level playing field where genuine ability shines through the noise.
• While ATIQA competes in the MENA Nations Cup in Qatar, she’s now part of a support system extending to twenty-seven drivers across international, UAE, and British series. This isn’t just about one talented kid getting a break – it’s about F1 Academy systematically building the pipeline that will feed tomorrow’s grids. We’re watching the foundation being laid for a generation that won’t have to fight as hard just to get noticed.

all-female f1 academy, cotfa, fia karting, uae racing