Indian Racer Kush Maini Wins his 1st Formula 2 Sprint!

Kush Maini, India's only driver in the Current F2 season, has achieved his first win in the FIA Formula 2 Championship. This made him the only second Indian after Jehan Daruvala to have ever reached the top step of the F2 podium. The race win came as a surprise to everyone as the race winner, Richard Verschoor, was disqualified due to a technical infringement after the race. Hence, Kush inherits his place.

What this Means For Maini

In terms of how far ahead this win will push Maini, he will add 10 points to his total points tally. He jumped a place ahead of Mercedes prodigy Kimi Antonelli to gain the P8 position with a total of 66 points. 

Race Highlights

Kush struggled at the start of the race with the hard compound tyre, hence losing a position in the opening lap to Antonelli. This did not deter him from fighting back, as in lap 17, he showcased his ability to handle pressure and reached P2. In the last 11 laps, he defended his position valiantly while also chasing Verchoor for the P1. While he ended the race in P2, Verchoor's disqualification made him the race winner. He was joined by his fellow Alpine junior, Victor Martins, at P2. His Invicta teammate, Gabriel Bortoleto, did not have his best race, finishing at P16 in the sprint race after Verschoor's disqualification.

Maini's Journey So Far

Kush has had a personal best season in 2024, with 5 podiums and now a race win to his name. His team had suffered from some reliability issues a couple of races back that reduced his chances of challenging at the top. Still, they have now bounced back, giving him his first win. He also recently had his first proper test with a Formula 1 car with Alpine, which both the team and driver claimed was fruitful. Along with the F2, Maini had a go at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend, where he was behind the wheel of the iconic E20 Lotus, painted in the Alpine livery. This legendary car had seen greats like Kimi Räikkönen and Romain Grosjean drive it in its day. 

Joyed at Victory

Once announced as the sprint winner, Kush took to Instagram to express his elation: "The team and I, we keep coming back and we keep fighting. I have a great team around me, and thank you so much to them for today."

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