For someone still figuring out homework schedules, it is a rapid climb.
The origin story feels almost too neat. When Kaur was born, her father brought her home from the hospital in a tiny top that read “Future Racecar Driver”. It was not a grand plan. He was simply a motorhead. Years later, it reads like foreshadowing.
The real turning point came at nine, when she first got behind the wheel of a kart. “At first it was just for fun. But then I realised I really liked it, so I started doing it more professionally,” she says. What began as a weekend activity quickly turned competitive, with podiums and recognition stacking up.
The move to Formula 4, though, was a different game entirely. Kaur calls it “an eye-opener” that made her change gears. “After the first race, I realised I needed to work on my strength.” The shift from karting to single-seaters also brought new technical demands. “I had to learn how to deal with the G-forces and the downforce, and also how to shift gears, because in karting there are no shifters.”
Now, much of her off-season is spent preparing for exactly that. Her next campaign begins in April, and until then the gym has become as important as the track. “I’m preparing more for my races this year,” she says. But preparation is not always straightforward. Singapore does not have a permanent Formula racing circuit, so proper testing means travelling overseas during school holidays. Unlike many drivers at her level, Kaur has not opted for homeschooling. Instead, she continues to attend school full-time, fitting an international racing career into the margins of a very structured academic life.
At home, things are equally dynamic. Kaur is the eldest of three sisters in what she describes as a very sporty household. Her middle sister is into wrestling, while the youngest has firmly decided motorsport is not for her. “She saw people crash,” Kaur says, laughing, “so she didn’t want to drive.” Instead, she swims and often travels with Kaur. “She follows me everywhere.”
Her parents are a constant presence in the background. Her father remains closely involved in her racing journey, while her mother, a teacher, keeps her grounded academically.
Motorsport, for all its speed and glamour, comes with its own set of realities. In 2023, Kaur was involved in a major crash, an experience that forced her to confront fear head-on. The real test came later, when she had to return to the same track and face the same corner again. “At first I couldn’t go full speed because I was still scared.” It took time and repetition before the confidence returned. “After multiple laps, I managed to go at full speed.”
There are small rituals that help steady her before races. “I always put my left glove on first, then my right glove,” she says. “My left shoe first, then my right shoe.” She also carries a symbol with her—a butterfly on her helmet that resembles two K’s. It started as something more instinctive than strategic. “Every week, there would be at least one butterfly that came to me,” she says. “Before my race.” Over time, it has become something she associated with luck.
Despite being one of the few girls on the grid, Kaur does not see herself as an exception. “We’re all drivers and we’re all there to win,” she says. It is a mindset that mirrors the racers she looks up to. Max Verstappen is her favourite, and she admires his focus. She also points to British racer Abbi Pulling for a similar reason. “They’re not there to play around,” she says. “They’re there to win.”
For now, Kaur is still in that in-between space. A student, a volleyball teammate, a sister, and a racer figuring it out one season at a time. The days are long, the schedule is packed, and the learning curve is steep.
