Mushtaq is also India’s first female representative at the prestigious British Endurance Championship. She is the first and only Indian national in the championship. Notably, she was the only female driver to have competed with male racers from various countries, securing points for her performance, enabling her to secure a spot in the British competition.
She primarily competes in the European and Middle Eastern circuits, representing India, and has won multiple awards for her on-track success.
Ahead of a busy season, Mushtaq took time out for an interview with CNBC-TV18.com, when she spoke at length about why she likes to be called a wild child, her dreams of representing India in motorsports, shattering gender stereotypes and much more.
In the bio section of your Instagram profile, you have mentioned that “they call me the wild child.” Can you elaborate on that?
Humaira Mushtaq: Yes, I myself and all those who know me, see me as a wild child. That’s because I have never conformed to what people or what society expect or to stereotypes. I have always been someone who danced to her own beat. I have done things that I wanted to do. I never let anyone tell me what is good or bad for me. I feel as long as you are not hurting anyone, you are good to do anything in the world and that should be it. It’s your life and you only get to live it once, so you make the best of it. Follow your passion.
What are your first memories of racing and how did you catch the bug? What was your first real-time experience of racing? Was it with cars, bikes or cycles? Or with other humans?
Humaira Mushtaq Racing has been a very natural thing. It wasn’t something that I was brought into, it wasn’t something I was got into. It was pretty organic. When I was a child, all I could think about was cars. I never enjoyed playing with dolls and all those soft girly things. I used to play with boys because they had the cars, especially the remote control cars. My parents got to know about my interest and eventually my dad got me a toy car when I was about three years old. By age four, he got me a custom-made go-kart. We had some space outside our house and he created this really cute go-karting track for me.
At the age of five or six, I started competing in karts and for next few years I continued with it. I used to be the only girl in those car racing contests winning against boys. But I never let that affect me. Eventually, I moved to single seaters, formula racing. I have done touring cars. My first professional stint was with JK Tyres, when I was around 17 years old. Then I moved to MRF because I wanted to get into the touring cars. I did have good races with them.
I got the rating to compete in European and the middle eastern circuits.
Racing has been a very natural thing. It wasn’t something that I was brought into, it wasn’t something I was got into. It was pretty organic. ~ Humaira Mushtaq
At what stage of your life did you choose to become a professional car racer?
Humaira Mushtaq Both my parents are medical doctors. I have studied dentistry. But I always saw myself as a racing driver when I was young. Growing up, I used to watch Lewis Hamilton. And I would always say “one day I’m also going to be like that.”
My dad had been very supportive of my career in motorsports. Though he was a doctor himself, yet he always acknowledged this talent in me. He would often take me to race tracks. He was so confident of my drive that when I was around 10 or 11 years old he would make me sit on the driver’s seat of the car while he sat on the passenger seat when dropping me to school. I was a self learned driver. All my teachers would always have make a fuss about it.
The last words of my dad were: Do not stop racing, don’t stop racing, become a professional, reach out your talent to the world. You shall move mountains.
My dad would also took me to the karting tracks.
You come from Kashmir and from a conservative family. You are a woman athlete and on top of that you have chosen motorsports in India. I can only imagine the kind of struggles that you have been through in your life to be where you now. Could you highlight your struggles?
Humaira Mushtaq: I used to travel alone to the racing tracks. My mother was working, so she couldn’t leave her job and come with me. She was the provider in the family, raising me and my brother singlehandedly. And I knew there would be struggles. My mother told me I would have to create my own ways and fight all those obstacles. And I said, “yes, I want to do it.”
Whenever I told people that I wanted to race, they would give me a very blank look. I would prove myself on the track and whenever I did that, I could see them changing, their perspective changing. And that’s all what matters to me. I don’t take criticism very personally.
I was aware that it is going to be challenging. It is something I signed up for. So I don’t complain. I was determined to be where I wanted to be. ~ Humaira Mushtaq
You mentioned about your father and that he was your mentor as well. Could you highlight his influence in your life?
Humaira Mushtaq: My dad has been the biggest influence in my life. When it came to racing, my dad was very supportive. He was very confident and would always push me. I came from a very conservative family, where women don’t even have a voice and my father had to fight those people just to enable this portfolio. Both my parents had to fend off those people who refused to see this as a possibility for a woman.
Motorsports is expensive. Do you think sponsors are that forthcoming and what kind of financial challenges have you encountered?
Humaira Mushtaq: Of course it is very expensive. But again, I don’t complain. It is challenging as a person because usually people think in a particular way when they see a woman driver.
What I feel is if I am doing my job sincerely, I don’t need anyone’s approval. I do have my own challenges and barriers, but I focus on the bright side and keep going.
You are in a sport which is heavily male-dominated. Is there anything that you can share that can shift the balance or at least move the needle?
Humaira Mushtaq: Of course my sport is male-dominated and that’s probably the reason I used to face so much criticism and resistance. My fight is not with me being a woman in the sport. My fight is in general not conforming to the society and what people think. You could be a guy and you could be good in some kind of feminine profession. You can make a fortune out of it. What is wrong with that!
As a woman driver people will be septic. My fight is for the equality for both genders. I think we need to co-exist. My sport makes me feel entitled and empowered because I express my belief in the form of my professional skills since I compete with men in the same battle ground.
You aim to bring India on the global motorsports map. How is the motorsports scenario in India and what can you do to bring about a change?
Humaira Mushtaq: I want to place India on the global map in motorsports. I will tell you why. When I went to England, I was working with a team of drivers. I could feel a level of skepticism which was understandable. Given they were not used to seeing an Indian female driver. I don’t fight or answer criticism. I do what I am good at which is my performance. My performance speaks for me and that is what happened. I could see their behavior changing towards me. Instantly they became respectful and they started seeing me as a counterpart. People can deny your words, your opinions but they simply cannot deny what they see. How you perform matters at the end of the day.
That was the day I realised there are a lot of people around the world who always see women, and Indian women particularly, as not good enough. I want to bring a change in that mindset. So now there is an Indian woman who is competing with men from all over the world and is equally competitive and outperforming them.
Coming to your motorsports question, I think it’s picking up. It’s one of the biggest sports in the world. It’s such a thrilling sport. Everyone knows about Formula One. It is growing. It’s on the right path. And I think in few years we’ll see more developments happening there, more tracks and so on.
How are you preparing for your upcoming races and do you have any personal goals or milestones for this year?
Humaira Mushtaq: Yes of course. I am driving these pretty strong paddle shift cars, GT cars. They just fly. These cars are like talking to god… on the long straights we go up to like 300 kmph. They are just super competitive cars. I will be doing European GT championships. I am gearing up for that. I have been practising and yes, I am all set for that and I will be representing India. I am going to be the only Indian driver… Indian female driver in these championship.
Finally, any message for young girls who want to purse sports.
Humaira Mushtaq: I always tell people one thing, irrespective of girl or boy. I tell them to know whatever it is you want to do in your life. Nothing is impossible. You can do whatever you want. You have the power to create your own reality. All it takes is determination. When I started, I had no support. But I created this reality because I was determined. I was more inspired by being there. I could overcome all the shackles and obstacles. So I tell people to always sit in the driving seat of your car, never be on the passenger seat. Never let anyone drive you.
You are the creator, the master of your own destiny and make the most of it. Don’t let people tell you what is good or bad for you. When you actually put your passion into it, you become unstoppable. There is nothing that can stop you.
