ATIQA MIR’s F1 Dream: 10-Year-Old Karter Shrugs Off Limits & Teenage Boys

September 10, 2025

by Suprita Das // from www.vogue.in

GRRL! musings:

There have been a growing number of articles about Atiqa recently. We’re happy to present every one we can find, BUT we need to point out this one is from Vogue. Yes, THAT Vogue! When one of the most influential, upscale fashion magazines starts publishing articles about 10-year-old karting aces from a city in the disputed Kashmir region, you know things are changing. Way to go Vogue! Way to go Atiqa! You go, GRRL!

GRRL! SUMMARY:

Ten-year-old ATIQA MIR from Srinagar has declared her intention to become “the first woman in the modern era to compete in Formula 1,” displaying the kind of unshakeable conviction that makes you believe maybe, just maybe, she’ll pull it off. While only two women in history have ever started a Grand Prix and none have even attempted qualifying since 1992, this karting prodigy isn’t fazed by the astronomical odds—she’s too busy being fast.
The track reality for MIR is a masterclass in what we’ve always known: when you’re good enough to threaten the boys’ club, expect pushback. Coach Julia Lykakis confirms that “because Atiqa is so fast, the boys push her around all the time,” with testosterone-fueled teenage competitors literally crashing into her kart after she overtakes their friends. But here’s the thing—she’s learning to fight back instead of crying, because that’s what champions do.
Her father and former national karting champion Asif Mir cuts through the noise: “Atiqa is simply one of the fastest racers in her age group, period.” That’s the bottom line we need more people to understand—this isn’t about gender politics or feel-good stories, it’s about pure speed and talent. MIR’s approach to the word “stereotype” with a casual shrug tells us everything: she’s not here to debate limitations, she’s here to demolish them.