ATIQA MIR Misses Podium by 0.32 Seconds, Sets COFTA Records in Slovakia

September 23, 2025

by Daily Excelsior // from www.dailyexcelsior.com

• ATIQA MIR came tantalizingly close to karting history in Slovakia, finishing fourth in the Champions of the Future Academy series just 0.32 seconds behind the winner. The 10-year-old didn’t just compete – she led for most of the race before narrowly missing the podium, making her the first Indian driver ever to crack the top-four in COFTA championship history.
• Her fourth-place finish carries extra weight as the highest finish by any female competitor this season in a male-dominated grid that’s closely watched by F1 Academy brass. As part of the F1 Academy DYD program and the first Indian driver supported by Formula 1, ATIQA’s performance proves she belongs at this level against Europe’s strongest young talent.
• Weekend drama struck in race two when ATIQA was running a comfortable third before getting punted from behind on lap seven, dropping her to 11th. The incident couldn’t overshadow her breakthrough performance though – showing the racing craft and speed that already earned her a DAMC series win in Dubai and a historic COFTA podium in Abu Dhabi last year.

all-female f1 academy, champions of the future academy, fia karting, slovakia karting centre