Haarni Sadiq is breaking new ground by bringing Muslim representation to the world of motorsport.
The 16-year-old British-Pakistani driver from Southampton is entering his first season in Formula 4 (F4), a junior single-seater category designed to help drivers progress from karting into professional circuit racing. Sadiq has ambitions of one day reaching Formula 1 (F1).
Competing in the FIA-certified British F4 Championship with JHR Developments, Sadiq made his championship debut in August 2025 after progressing through competitive karting.
Earlier this season, Sadiq secured his first-ever Rookie Cup podium, taking silver at Silverstone. The result marked an important achievement in his debut full season, as he looks to establish himself among the championship’s emerging drivers. His season is far from over, with another race taking place last weekend at Brands Hatch.
Sadiq was just 14 years old when he first began competing in motorsport, progressing quickly from go-karting to more advanced racing cars. In just two years, he has begun making his mark at major competitions.
Sadiq attributes much of his success to one thing: community.
“My story shows how strong the Muslim community is. I can’t thank my community enough; they’ve given me so many opportunities,” Sadiq told The Muslim News.
Although he is still young, Sadiq has big ambitions for both the UK and Pakistan. His father worked extensively to advance technology in Pakistan, and Sadiq proudly notes that his father even received an award from the prime minister. He hopes to continue his father’s legacy by helping to develop Pakistan’s motorsport industry.
“Racing is small in Pakistan,” says Sadiq, “but there’s a huge market. It’s an overlooked sport because of inaccessibility, but there’s thousands of jobs.”
His efforts to make this vision a reality are already underway. Last month, Sadiq hosted his first event at Silverstone Museum alongside Steve Deeks and other professionals from across the industry.
Reflecting on the event, he described it as “amazing” and “nothing like it”, adding that he had been “really nervous” at the beginning.
Sadiq cited Lewis Hamilton as a key inspiration in racing, admiring his persistence and determination to keep going despite the challenges he faced. He also spoke of his admiration for Imran Khan, saying he was inspired by how Khan “stayed firm to his word and hasn’t changed for anyone”.
Sadiq hopes his growing success will inspire other Muslims around the world. He said:
“Pakistan and the Muslim community are quite underrepresented, so I hope to give our community the confidence to keep fighting for what they want and really push to be the best at what they do.”
Asked what advice he would give to other young Muslims his age, Sadiq added: “Take every opportunity that comes to you and always be on the look out for any opportunities you can give to yourself.”
However, the journey has not been easy. Sadiq works towards his ambitions every day while balancing the demands of racing with his college studies.
His goal is “to do one thing every day to make me faster”, whether that means training at the gym, practising on the simulator or rereading race reports. Simulator sessions and race-report analysis are important parts of a driver’s development, helping them refine their technique, understand where lap time can be gained and prepare for different circuit conditions.
He added: “The physical and mental strain of racing is pretty intense; the time I have to myself I mostly relax.”
Although the pressure can be intense, Sadiq tries to look beyond it. As he explained: “I want to do well for everyone who’s given me the opportunity to do what I want to do.”
As he continues his development in British F4, Sadiq faces the challenge of turning early promise into consistent results. For him, the ambition is not only to progress towards Formula 1, but also to help make motorsport more accessible to the next generation of British Muslim and Pakistani drivers.
