Another weekend, another pole for Indian racer Atiqa Mir
Abu Dhabi (PTI): Formula 1 Academy-backed Indian racer Atiqa Mir showed scorching speed for her second pole position in as many weeks before picking up a Heat win in Round 2 of the RMC UAE Karting Championship here.
After a pole and podium finish in the Formula 1-backed COTFA series last week, Atiqa switched seamlessly into a different equipment to set blistering pace at the Al Forsan Circuit. She is the first Indian to be supported by Formula 1.
In the Official Practice sessions, Atiqa topped three out of the four sessions and clocked the fastest time of the day in a highly competitive field of international drivers. She was the only female.
Atiqa, who turned 11 last week, carried that form into qualifying, clinching pole position in the dying minutes of the session with a sizzling time of 60.686 seconds.
Representing Akcel GP, she led from the front in the Heat race for a deserving victory. She lost the lead briefly on Lap 1 before regaining it soon after and pulling away from the field of 18 drivers.
In the pre-final race, Atiqa suffered a big crash while fighting for the lead on the last lap, injuring her elbow.
Her determination and fighting spirit came to the fore when she drove the final lap with the injury and a broken kart. After making up five places on the opening lap, Atiqa's kart developed a technical problem, forcing an early retirement.
”What could have been a dominant weekend ended back in the pits. But that is racing, we are racing so close to each other at such high speeds that crashes are bound to happen.
"I got a hard hit on my elbow and it is bruised quite badly. I wanted to fight and get back to the front in the final but it wasn’t meant to be as my panel broke and due to that I couldn’t drive," said Atiqa.
Her father and former Formula Asia Vice Champion Asif Mir said luck was not on her daughter's side this weekend but at the same time, called the collision part of racing.
“A dominant show by her, a slight touch with another kart changed her entire weekend. She deserved a better result but that is how it goes sometimes in sport. She is driving at a high level week in and week out in different karting championships.
"She has to switch engines, tyres almost every weekend and she is able to adjust well,” said Asif.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
