Atiqa Mir, a nine-year-old karting sensation from Kashmir, recently made her mark at the esteemed World Series Karting (WSK) Super Cup at the Franciacorta Circuit in Italy. Despite a weekend filled with trials, Atiqa's tenacity and racing spirit were evident, hinting at her potential to become a future luminary in the sport.
Atiqa was representing the BabyRace team, a renowned entity in the karting world. From the get-go, she exhibited an impressive pace during her practice sessions. She swiftly adapted to her kart and built a strong rapport with her team. I had the opportunity to drive for the champion team BabyRace, and from the first practice session, I felt comfortable. The team worked hard to get the kart to my liking and I learned a lot from my amazing teammates," Atiqa shared.
However, the weekend did not progress as smoothly as she had anticipated. During the qualifying round, Atiqa was unable to secure a fast lap due to the group rolling, which compromised her best chance. This left her in the 15th position, a far cry from the top 5 finish she was confident of achieving.
The first heat brought further disappointment when an engine failure on the formation lap forced Atiqa into a Did Not Finish (DNF) status. Despite these setbacks, Atiqa demonstrated her fighting spirit in the second heat. She made up five places to finish 10th, only to receive a penalty that dropped her back to 14th for forcing another driver off the track.
In the third heat, Atiqa was running 10th when another driver collided with her, pushing her back to 17th. The other driver was penalized for the incident. The pre-finals saw Atiqa starting in the 19th position. She fought hard to climb five places and finish 14th.
In the finals, she started in 35th but made up nine places to secure a 26th place finish. Despite the series of incidents, most of which were beyond her control, Atiqa remained optimistic. My race pace was strong, and with a better track position, the results could have been very different, she reflected.
Atiqa's journey in Italy, while not yielding the results she hoped for, has added valuable experience to her racing trajectory. She expressed her gratitude to the BabyRace team, who made her feel at home right away and taught her so much about driving and setup. Now, she is gearing up for Middle East circuits, eager to apply the lessons learned from her experience in Italy.
Atiqa's story is reminiscent of many young racers who have faced similar challenges in their early careers. Formula One legend Lewis Hamilton, for instance, faced numerous obstacles in his karting days, including mechanical failures and on-track incidents. However, like Atiqa, Hamilton used these experiences to learn and grow, eventually becoming one of the most successful drivers in the history of the sport.
Atiqa's resilience and determination are a testament to her passion for the sport. Her journey serves as an inspiration for young racers worldwide, proving that age is no barrier to chasing one's dreams. As she continues to hone her skills and gain more experience, the karting world eagerly awaits her next move.
