When Arshiya Akhtar first stepped onto a karting track in Riyadh as a young girl, she had no idea that the sound of small engines and the smell of burning rubber would someday lead her to a global motorsport stage. What began as a casual weekend activity gradually turned into a lifelong passion, pushing her into a field few Pakistani women have ever entered. Years later, her name is now etched in the records as the first Pakistani woman to receive an official professional racing license from the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, the international authority that governs world motorsport.
Arshiya was born in Lahore but spent most of her childhood in Saudi Arabia, where she attended school and grew up surrounded by a culture that rarely saw women behind the wheel. Her fascination with cars began through her father, who often took her to small go-karting venues in Riyadh. She was only eleven when she first drove on a circuit, and that brief experience left an impression that shaped the rest of her life.
After finishing her early education, she moved to the United States in 2017. There she began working full-time in clinical research but refused to give up her dream of becoming a professional driver. The challenge was immense; motorsport is not only physically demanding but also financially draining, especially for someone without corporate sponsorships or team backing.
Yet Arshiya managed to self-fund her early competitions, juggling her job, training sessions, and races with unshakable discipline.
She began competing in small regional events before entering professional circuits such as the Formula Race Promotions Series and the F4 United States Championship. Both tournaments feature skilled international drivers, and it was in these competitions that Arshiya began making her mark. Her team owner, Robert Wright, who runs Formula Race Promotions, praised her focus and resilience, noting that she improved steadily throughout the 2025 season and finished fourth in the overall points standings.
Obtaining a professional FIA license was not a simple process. Arshiya had to study complex regulations, car specifications, and championship structures, often learning through trial and error. Being the first Pakistani woman attempting to reach such a level meant she had no footsteps to follow. Every procedure, from filing documentation to qualifying for the required races, had to be learned on her own. She often described the journey as “building the road while driving on it.”
The FIA awarded her a Grade C license, a significant milestone that allows her to compete internationally. She is now aiming for the Grade B license, which would bring her closer to the top-tier “super license” required for Formula 1-level racing. Each competition helps her earn points toward this goal, but only the top ten finishers in each championship race receive points. This system, she explained, constantly pushes her to perform at her peak.
Currently, Arshiya races in the Formula E division, a high-speed electric car series that demands precision, reflex, and mental sharpness. Her coach, professional driver Nathan Byrd, described her as a fast learner who listens carefully and applies feedback immediately. He believes she has the natural instincts of a racer combined with the discipline of a professional researcher.
Her daily life is a constant balancing act. Arshiya wakes up early, attends work meetings, handles sponsorship correspondence, and begins her research duties by 7:30 a.m. After finishing her job, she spends time training at the gym, practices on racing simulators, and studies her lap data late into the night. She often jokes that her schedule leaves no room for rest but says she wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Beyond racing, Arshiya calls herself an adrenaline enthusiast. She has competed in equestrian sports in the United States, winning podium positions, and enjoys snowboarding, skydiving, and scuba diving. Her family, she says, has accepted her adventurous lifestyle with a mixture of pride and amusement. “They know I’m not like the others,” she once said with a laugh.
Her progress carries symbolic importance for Pakistan. In a country where women’s sports opportunities are often limited, Arshiya’s achievements challenge long-standing perceptions.
She has spoken openly about the gender imbalance in motorsport, pointing out that women make up barely ten percent of all global participants. Still, she believes that each barrier broken helps make the path smoother for those who come after.
She has also balanced her racing career with academic achievements. During her studies in the United States, she consistently made it to the dean’s list and contributed to scientific research publications. This combination of intellect and athleticism, she believes, is what defines her success both on and off the track.
Racing, however, is not without its difficulties. Competing against seasoned professionals who have trained on the same tracks for years presents constant challenges. Arshiya often finds herself racing on circuits she has never driven before, against opponents who know every corner and braking point.
To compensate, she spends countless hours studying track layouts, analyzing videos, and practicing on simulators. Yet she admits that no amount of virtual preparation can fully capture the sensation of real racing. “Once you are actually on the circuit, everything changes,” she said. “The car behaves differently, the grip varies, and you must adapt instantly.”
Financial limitations remain one of her greatest hurdles. Motorsport requires significant funding for vehicles, equipment, travel, and team expenses. Without large sponsorships, Arshiya continues to finance much of her career herself, demonstrating a level of perseverance that has impressed many in the racing community.
Despite the obstacles, she remains optimistic about the future. Her dream extends beyond personal victory; she hopes to see more Pakistani women entering motorsport not only as drivers but as engineers, race strategists, and technical experts. She often emphasizes that motorsport is a multidisciplinary field where talent in design, data, and analysis can be as valuable as driving skills.
Arshiya believes her journey is proof that boundaries can shift when passion meets persistence. She often tells young women to create their own definitions of what is normal. “If you believe something should be part of your world,” she says, “then keep doing it until it becomes normal for everyone else too.”
Her story is not just about speed; it is about breaking silence, rewriting expectations, and proving that Pakistani women can compete on global stages once considered unreachable. In the coming years, as she advances toward higher FIA categories, Arshiya Akhtar’s name will likely stand not only as a mark of individual success but as a symbol of what determination can achieve when talent refuses to yield.