India, July 16 -- India's 11-year-old racing prodigy Atiqa Mir gave another compelling example of her precocious talent by out-qualifying two Mercedes F1 junior drivers for pole position in the Champions of the Future Academy Program Round 3 in Viterbo.

Despite no testing on a rather technical Leopard Circuit, Atiqa, the first Indian to be backed by the Formula 1 Academy, set sizzling pace in qualifying of the karting series. She beat established Mercedes F1 Junior drivers like Niccolo Perico of Italy and Devin Titz of Germany for pole position besides setting an event record, earning the plaudits from one and all in the paddock.

Atiqa's special performance in qualifying came after she swept Round 2 of the COTFA series in Greece last mo...