New Delhi: In a sport where no woman has raced in Formula 1 since 1992, 11-year-old karting prodigy Atiqa Mir is already carving a path for herself. The young Indian racer understands both the scale of the challenge and the weight of history while chasing the pinnacle of motorsport.

Competing in one of the most male-dominated sporting arenas in the world, Atiqa believes in breaking stereotypes rather than being intimidated by them.

In an interview with the media after a successful international karting season, she spoke at length about her blossoming motorsport journey and the challenges she gleefully accepts along the way.

"I think it's because of all the stereotypes and stuff and also it being a mixed gender sport and being male dominated, that's why many females are not in Formula 1," Atiqa said.

"And I think my confidence and belief in myself is going to take me there one day," she added.

How does Atiqa handle the pressure on track?

Atiqa's rise through the karting ranks has often placed her in grids where she is one of the only girls competing against a bunch of "bullying" boys, and she does not shy away from standing her ground.

"Well, basically, I'm one of the only few girls on the track and all the boys are there and obviously they don't like getting beaten by a girl. So they obviously bully me a lot on the track, but then I always bully them back," she explained.

The behaviour sometimes goes beyond hard racing.

"Well, sometimes they turn on me. Sometimes they brake check me, which is normal for everyone, I guess nowadays, because there's no penalty in karting for a brake check. But sometimes they also hit me, but I think I learned how to deal with it over time," Atiqa said.

Rather than letting such incidents derail her focus, she uses them as a learning experience.

"What goes through my mind is that I just try and learn from what I could from the session and the rest automatically finds its place," she noted.

Did motorsport influence Atiqa’s family?

Motorsport runs in Atiqa's family. Her father, Asif Mir, is a former national karting champion and Formula Asia vice-champion. However, she insists that her career was not shaped by obligation or expectation.

"...I didn't start because of my dad. And like, there was no such thing as like, having a dream to race in Formula One," she said, underlining that her journey began organically.

When did she discover Formula 1?

Atiqa’s introduction to Formula 1 came relatively late.

"I didn't really know about Formula One and stuff until like 2021. And I think the first race I actually watched on TV was the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021," she recalled, referring to the epic last lap title showdown between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

"And I remember seeing that overtake (from Verstappen). And it was so good. And it's still in my mind. So I really get motivated by that," she added.

That moment cemented her admiration for Verstappen, now one of her two role models alongside her father.

"So basically, I really like his aggression and ability to drive with the car even if it's not like top one pace," Atiqa said.

"He's gotten loads of poles and he's basically been a great like person in this season when the car wasn't good," she added.

How has she performed on track?

On track, Atiqa’s performances are steadily strengthening her case. Competing in Europe for the first time this season, she finished inside the top nine in the RMC Euro Trophy, one of the toughest karting championships on the calendar.

"Since it was my first season competing in Europe, I think it's gone pretty well," she said.

"I did the top nine finish in the wet, which I was kind of learning how to drive on," she added, noting that the highly competitive nature of racing in Europe exposed her to new tracks, climates and driving styles.

Atiqa has also received the coveted backing from the F1 Academy, becoming the first Indian to be supported by the programme.

Is motorsport especially tough for women?

Asked whether motorsport is especially tough for women, Atiqa acknowledged the early struggles.

"For the first one and a half years, really, it is because no one knows you and they just expect you to be one of those random girls driving for fun," she said.

"But now it's getting better because of my speed, and my determination to win," she summed up.