Eleven-year-old Indian racing prodigy Atiqa Mir joined Kart Republic, a team known for training Formula One stars. Dino Chiesa, who leads the team, said, "She is one of the best female drivers around." Atiqa will compete in the OKJ category, aiming to build on her recent success in international karting events.
Atiqa Mir has joined Kart Republic (KR), a team led by veteran Italian karting figure Dino Chiesa, marking a major milestone in her blooming career.
The 11-year-old is making her move to Kart Republic after having caught Chiesa's attention with her performances across multiple karting events.
Kart Republic has also worked with several current F1 drivers, including reigning world champion Lando Norris, George Russell, Oscar Piastri, championship leader Kimi Antonelli and Indian-origin driver Arvid Lindblad among others.
Chiesa has helped develop several drivers who went on to become Formula 1 champions, including Lewis Hamilton, Chiesa had a hand in Hamilton's early development. This list of F1 drivers also includes Nico Rosberg, who won the drivers championship in 2016.
Atiqa's move to Kart Republic is expected to support her progress in the OKJ category (for ages 12-14), where she will compete over the next two years against some of the strongest young drivers in the sport.
"I'm really excited to be joining KR and starting this new chapter. It's a dream come true for me. I'm looking forward to working with the team, learning as much as possible and pushing myself to become a stronger driver. I'm grateful to everyone who continues to support me, and I can't wait to get started," said Atiqa.
"I have tracked Atiqa over the last two years. She has shown speed in both mini and big kart. She is one of the best female drivers around," Chiesa said.
"Potentially, she has a big career ahead of her. She can even be better. You have to make the right move at the right moment, and don't forget she is only 11. It is normal to be conservative, but she is someone special," he added.
The Srinagar-born racer made headlines earlier this season by taking pole ahead of Mercedes junior Niccolo Perico in Round 3 of the Champions of the Future Academy (COTFA) series in Italy. In May, she also completed a clean sweep at the series' second round in Greece.
Kart Republic is a prominent kart manufacturer whose Factory Racing Team has secured more than 25 major international FIA Karting titles, including 15 European championships and 12 world championships.
The team credits its results to technical preparation, race engineering and a sustained focus on developing drivers. Atiqa is set to make her debut with Kart Republic at the FIA World Cup in Italy.