History made as 10-year-old Indian Atiqa Mir wins UAE race from pole position

Dubai: Indian racing's 10-year-old prodigy Atiqa Mir on Sunday created history by becoming the first woman in UAE karting to win a race in the Minimax category.

In a competitive field of 14 drivers including seasoned European race winners, Atiqa was the lone female but that was hardly a factor as she completed a commanding victory from pole position in the prestigious DAMC Championship opener at the Dubai Kartdrome.

In the finals, Atiqa kept it clean and within track limits to cross the chequered flag before anyone else. The win makes her the first ever female to take a pole and a final win in the MiniMax category, marking a perfect start to her Middle Eastern Karting leg.

Recognising her rare talent, Formula 1 had signed her for its F1 Academy DYD program earlier this year, another first for an Indian driver.

"Im so happy with this win. Dubai Kartdrome is where I started karting so this track will always remain close to my heart. I got limited running in preparation for this race, but nonetheless I was still able to be on pace. Big thanks to my sponsors AKCEL Academy for all their support," said Atiqa.

Fresh off a successful European season, Atiqa was in Dubai for a quick stop and will head to Slovakia next for Champions of the Future Academy Round 4 where she drives for the F1 DYD program.

Atiqa hails from a racing family with her father, Asif Nazir Mir, being a former Formula Asia vice-champion. She idolises reigning Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen and her ultimate goal is to reach the pinnacle of motorsport.