JK Tyre, longtime supporters of Indian motorsport, on Thursday signed 11-year-old racing sensation Atiqa Mir, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to invest in future champions.
At such a young age, Atiqa has already made a strong mark on the international karting circuit, winning races in Europe and beating world class drivers older than her.Atiqa, the first Indian to be supported by the F1 Academy, is currently competing in different series in Europe and is the highest ranked female in FIA’s International Karting Ranking in the OKNJ category (age 12-14).
She joins an elite list of accomplished Indian drivers to be supported by JK Tyre, following in the footsteps of Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok, the only two Indians who have reached the pinnacle of F1.Earlier this year, she became the first Indian to secure a podium in the European leg of the Champions of the Future Academy, before going on to deliver a dominant victory in Greece, where she became only the third driver in the series’ history to sweep qualifying, heats and the final.
More recently, Atiqa added another feather to her cap by becoming the youngest Indian to record two top 10 finishes in FIA European Karting Championship which is considered the ‘Formula 1 of Karting.’
Her journey also represents the growing presence of women in motorsport. Atiqa was the first Indian and Asian female racer selected for F1 Academy’s Discover Your Drive programme, further underlining her position as one of the sport’s emerging young talents.
“It is a very special feeling to join JK Tyre. My dad (Asif Mir who was India’s first national karting champion) was also supported by JK Tyre during his racing days.I have always admired the company’s contribution to Indian motorsport and the opportunities it has created for young racers. I’m excited for this journey and look forward to learning, improving and representing India and JK Tyre on the international stage,” said Atiqa.
Anshuman Singhania, Managing Director, JK Tyre & Industries, said the tyre major was happy to support Atiqa in her fast rising career.
“Atiqa represents the next generation of Indian racing, and we are delighted to support her as she pursues excellence on the global stage,” said Singhania.
