Singapore: Indian karting sensation Atiqa Mir has taken another step in her racing career after signing with Kart Republic (KR), a team owned by Italian motorsport veteran Dino Chiesa, who has played a significant role in developing several future Formula 1 stars.
The 11-year-old from Srinagar has joined KR midway through the season after impressing Chiesa with her performances across multiple karting competitions in Europe.
Chiesa has worked with several drivers who later reached Formula 1, including seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and 2016 champion Nico Rosberg. Other drivers associated with his karting programmes include Lando Norris, George Russell, Oscar Piastri, Kimi Antonelli and Arvid Lindblad.
The move to KR is expected to give Atiqa access to experienced race engineers, technical support and a competitive development environment as she progresses towards higher levels of karting.
“I’m really excited to be joining KR and starting this new chapter. It’s a dream come true for me,” Atiqa said. She added that she was looking forward to learning from the team, improving as a driver and making the most of the opportunity.
Dino Chiesa Sees Strong Potential
Chiesa said he had followed Atiqa’s progress over the past two years and had been impressed by her speed in both mini and larger karting categories.
He described her as one of the leading female drivers in karting and said she had the potential to build a successful racing career. Chiesa also emphasised the importance of making the right decisions at the right stage of a young driver’s development.
The partnership is expected to help Atiqa prepare for competition in the OK-Junior category, which is generally intended for drivers aged 12 to 14, over the coming years.
Strong Performances in European Karting
Atiqa has attracted attention through several performances on the European karting circuit. Earlier this season, she secured pole position in Round 3 of the Champions of the Future Academy (COTFA) series in Italy, reportedly outqualifying Mercedes junior driver Niccolo Perico.
In May, she also achieved a clean sweep in Round 2 of the COTFA series in Greece, further strengthening her reputation as a young driver to watch.
Her next assignment with KR is scheduled to begin at the FIA Karting World Cup in Italy.
Aiming for Formula 1
Atiqa has set her sights on becoming the first woman to reach Formula 1 since 1992. Her progress comes at a time when motorsport continues to focus on expanding opportunities for female drivers.
Kart Republic is an established name in international karting. Its factory racing team has won numerous major FIA Karting titles, including European and world championships, supported by technical preparation and driver-development programmes.
The move represents a significant opportunity for Atiqa, although progressing from karting to Formula 1 requires sustained results, funding, experience and success across several levels of competitive motorsport.
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