'You have to chase your dream; you cannot just sit back'

We caught up with Saimah Ajaz Baig, the 2024 Women's Champion in the TVS One-make Championship. She shares her entire journey and the various challenges she overcame for her title triumph. Here are the excerpts

- Gaurav Davare

Winning a championship in motor sport may seem, to some, something as simple as being faster than everyone else. In reality, however, it is only a part of it; because it involves a number of factors and challenges to achieve that glory. Saimah Ajaz Baig, who won the 2024 women’s title in the TVS One-make Championship, speaks about her passion, grit, and the various challenges she had to overcome to secure her title in just her third season of competitive racing.

At the outset, our congratulations on the 2024 India One League Championship in the women's category. What does this mean to you?

Thank you so much for this. It has been a very long journey for me and winning the championship was a very close thing to my heart because I have worked very hard throughout my journey from 2022 till now. I have put in a lot of effort and time. I've been very dedicated to this particular championship.

What were the key factors or skills that helped you clinch the title?

The main things that helped me were keeping myself more prepared for this and making sure that I kept myself calm throughout the race and did not take any unnecessary risks. I had to keep my plan very simple and keep my focus very right throughout the entire season. So, no distraction, no time and space to get distracted at all.

Let us go back to the beginning. Where did your racing journey begin and what first drew you towards motor sport?