Latest news with #Maini
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First Post
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- First Post
Kush Maini creates history in Monaco: How is Formula 2 different than Formula 1
Kush Maini made history over the weekend by winning the Formula 2 Sprint Race at the Monaco Grand Prix, becoming the first Indian driver to collect a win at the iconic street circuit in Monte Carlo. Here's how F2 differs from Formula 1, where the 24-year-old currently is a test driver with Alpine. read more Kush Maini made history over the weekend by pulling off a spectacular victory in the Formula 2 Sprint Race at the Monaco Grand Prix. The 24-year-old, who stormed to victory after starting from pole position, thus became the first Indian driver to collect a win at the iconic street circuit in Monte Carlo, located along the picturesque French Riviera. It certainly was a historic moment for Indian motorsport with Maini standing on top of the podium and the national anthem playing in the background at Circuit de Monaco, where business tycoon and automobile enthusiast Gautam Singhania was also among those present. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Maini, representing DAMS Lucas Oil, won the nerve-wracking 30-lap reverse-grid sprint race with a timing of 44:57.639, finishing 3.705 seconds ahead of Prema Racing's Gabriele Mini and 7.299 seconds ahead of Hitech TGR's Luke Browning. 'P1 and first Indian to win at Monaco. It's a great honour and a dream come true, really. We keep believing,' Maini said after collecting his second Formula 2 victory, having previously won the Feature Race in Jeddah last year. His victory comes two months after he had joined the Alpine team as their reserve driver for the ongoing Formula 1 season. And while his heroics in Monaco certainly fill Indian motorsport fans with hope, Maini still has some distance to cover before he can realise his dream of racing in the Formula 1, where Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok remain the only Indian drivers to have competed till date. How is Formula 2 different from Formula 1? Formula 1, after all, is the highest class of open-wheel, single-seater racing, and is considered by many as the pinnacle of motorsport (although American motorsport enthusiasts might want to bring NASCAR into the conversation). And comparing F2 with F1 would be akin to comparing the Championship with the Premier League in English club football. The top teams in the Championship are promoted to the Premier League at the end of a season. Similarly, while F1 is motorsports' equivalent of the top-flight, F2 serves mainly as a feeder series as well as a training ground for future Formula 1 stars. The vehicles might appear similar at a glance, but are different in more ways than one. While each constructor is responsible for building their own cars in F1, all cars in F2 have the same chassis (built by Italian race car manufacturer Dallara) and gearbox (Hewland). Additionally, an average F1 car (798kg) outweights its F2 counterpart (755kg). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD And it goes without saying that the engines in F1 are a lot more powerful than in F2, given it is the top-tier after all. F1 engines have a horsepower of 1,000 while those in F2 have an upper limit of 620. This translates to faster cars in the higher category, with F1 cars reaching top speeds of 230mph (370 kmph) compared to 200mph (321 kmph) in F2. How the two categories differ in format and points distribution The two racing categories also differ in their formats. An F1 race comprises three practice sessions on Friday and Saturday followed by qualifying on Saturday and the main event on Sunday. Some events also have a sprint qualifying, which reduces the number of practice sessions to just one and establishes the starting field for Sunday's race. F2 race weekends, on the other hand, have a qualifying session on Friday that establishes the starting grid for Sunday's Feature Race. The Sprint Race that takes place on Saturday is a standalone event which features a reverse starting grid, wherein positions 1-10 for the main race are inverted, while positions 11-22 remain the same. And while F1 and F2 races typically take place at the same circuit, the former is a lot longer in terms of the number of laps. The points distribution is also the same for the top 10 drivers; F1, however, awards a point for the fastest lap for drivers finishing in the top 10 and eight points for the sprint winner. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD F2, meanwhile, awards a point for the fastest lap in the feature as well as sprint race, so long as the driver finishes in the top-10, and 10 points for the sprint race winner with the driver finishing runner-up collecting 8 and the one finishing third earning 6.
NDTV
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
Kush Maini Wins F2 Monaco Sprint Race, Becomes First Indian To Claim Title
Indian motorsport witnessed a historic moment as Kush Maini became the first Indian to win a Formula 2 race at the Monaco Grand Prix. The 25-year-old converted pole position into a win at the reverse-grid Sprint Race. Driving for DAMS Lucas Oil, he covered the iconic streets of Monte Carlo to mark his maiden F2 victory along with his first podium finish of the season. To achieve this, the BWT Alpine F1 driver held his composure across 30 laps in a nerve-wrecking competition. While Maini's performance during the race drew praise, he stood at the top of the podium singing the Indian national anthem as Monaco's iconic street circuit became a witness to the moment. "P1 and first Indian to win at Monaco. It's a great honour and a dream come true, really. We keep believing," said Kush Maini, while showing gratitude for DAMS. In the pit lane, Indian business tycoon Gautam Singhania was spotted celebrating with the 24-year-old, highlighting the ongoing support from JK Racing and TVS Racing, which are the two organizations that have backed Maini since his early racing career. Currently serving as a reserve driver for the BWT Alpine F1 Team, Maini's impressive victory at Monaco has boosted his visibility. It has also sparked renewed conversations about the possibility of securing a full-time Formula 1 seat in the near future. This marks Maini's second victory in the F2 sprint, finishing 3.705 seconds ahead of Mini. It is also his inaugural win with his new team, DAMS. With this victory, Maini advances to P13 in the championship, trailing the leader, Alexander Dunne, by 54 points.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Indian national anthem echoes at Monte Carlo as Kush Maini makes history with F2 Sprint win at Monaco GP
Kush Maini (Video grab) Indian motorsport witnessed a proud moment on Saturday as Kush Maini etched his name in history, becoming the first Indian to win a Formula 2 race at Monaco. Driving for DAMS Lucas Oil, Maini delivered a flawless, lights-to-flag performance to clinch the Sprint Race victory on the iconic streets of Monte Carlo. The win marked Maini's maiden F2 triumph and his first podium finish of the season — one that couldn't have come at a more prestigious venue. Starting from pole courtesy of the reverse grid rule (having qualified 10th for the feature race), the BWT Alpine F1 reserve driver made a solid getaway and held his nerve across 30 high-pressure laps. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! An emotional Maini stood atop the podium, singing the Indian national anthem as it played across Monaco's legendary street circuit. 'P1 and first Indian to win at Monaco. It's a great honour and dream come true really. We keep believing,' said Maini, thanking DAMS and his long-time supporters after the win. WATCH: In the pit lane, Indian business magnate Gautam Singhania was seen celebrating with the 24-year-old, underlining the continued support from JK Racing and TVS Racing — the two entities that have backed Maini since his junior racing days. Shubman Gill story: From a remote village near the border to India's Test captain Having endured a challenging start to the 2025 F2 season, this win comes as a timely boost. Maini now shifts focus to Sunday's feature race and will aim to carry his momentum to Barcelona next weekend. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
News18
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- News18
Who Is Kush Maini? 24-Year-Old Bengaluru Lad Creates History For India in Formula 2
Kush Maini has become the first Indian to win a Formula 2 race, clinching the sprint race title in Monaco. Star India racing driver Kush Maini on Saturday, May 24, became the first from the country to win a race in Formula 2, when he clinched the sprint race title in Monaco, in a historical moment for India as well as the nascent history of motorsports racing in the country. Maini started the sprint race from pole position, thanks to F2's reverse-grid rule, which inverts the top 10 qualifiers for Saturday's race. After bagging 10th place in qualifying for the feature race, Maini capitalised on the opportunity with a perfect performance on the challenging streets of Monaco to bring home massive glory. Who Is Kush Maini? Born in September 2000 in Bengaluru, Kush is the younger brother of Arjun Maini, who was a development driver for the Haas F1 team in 2017 and 2018. He is also the nephew of Chetan Maini, a co-founder and Vice Chairman at SUN Mobility and an Indian business magnate in the electric car industry. advetisement Maini has competed in Formula 4 before, the Formula Renault Eurocup, the FIA World Endurance Championship, the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship and FIA Formula 3. Maini is an Alpine Academy member, from which Jack Doohan and Romain Grosjean graduated into Formula 1. Maini began his single-seater career nine years back, competing for BVM Racing in the Italian F4 Championship. His campaign began strongly, scoring points in the first six races of the year. After a tough middle part of 2016, Maini scored his first podium in car racing, taking third place at the final race in Vallelunga. He finished the season 16th in the standings and ended up fifth in the rookies' championship. For 2017, Maini moved to Jenzer Motorsport, once again racing in Italian F4 with Giorgio Carrara, Federico Malvestiti, Giacomo Bianchi and Job van Uitert. Maini's sophomore year would prove to be more successful, with two podiums at Imola and Monza, as well as a series of top-five finishes, helping him finish eighth in the end results. In 2018, Maini stepped up to the British Formula 3 Championship with Lanan Racing. The season ended up being a breakthrough year, winning the reverse-grid race at Rockingham and scoring seven further podiums. Intending to remain in the Eurocup in 2020 with three-time champions R-ace GP, Maini changed his plans after COVID-19 and returned to the British F3 series, teaming up with Hitech GP. In October 2023, Maini was announced to be joining the Alpine Academy. He experienced his first Formula One test at the Red Bull Ring, driving the Alpine A522 and describing it as a dream come true. First Published: May 25, 2025, 12:53 IST
News18
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- News18
Indian National Anthem Plays At Monaco After Kush Maini's Win
Last Updated: Kush Maini won the Formula 2 sprint race in Monaco, becoming the first Indian to achieve this feat. In what has come as a proud moment for Indians across the world, Formula 2 driver Kush Maini on Saturday won the sprint race in Monaco, to ensure that the Indian national anthem played at the principality. He is the first Indian to win a race in the esteemed Formula 2. Despite almost race-long pressure from teammate Gabrielle Mini, Maini was able to stay ahead without any mistakes and finished two seconds clear of the chasing pack. Having begun from pole, Maini showed masterful control and strategic precision throughout the race, capitalising on a strong beginning and managing pressure with extreme maturity. Watch the video of the Indian national anthem playing in Monaco here: INDIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM IN MONACO 🫡 #KushMaini has made history – becoming the first Indian to win an F2 race at Monte Carlo 🇮🇳With a flawless lights-to-flag drive, he clinched victory in the F2 Sprint for DAMS Lucas Oil on the iconic streets of Monaco. 👑 #MonacoGP #F2 — FanCode (@FanCode) May 24, 2025 Back to racing conditions entering Lap 15 after the safety car was employed on Lap 12, Maini escaped from DRS range to Mini behind while Arvid Lindblad had Luke Browning in the battle for third on the road. Notably, Lindblad is a British-Swedish driver who has Indian origins. By the final lap, he was on the rear wing of Mini in second with Maini a further two seconds up the road. 'P1, first Indian to win in Monaco too. It's a great honour and a dream come true. I want to say thank you to DAMS and everyone who has supported me. We keep believing," Maini said after winning the race. 'You are Standing Tall, @kmainiofficial and the country stands tall with you. Kush Maini making history as the 1st Indian winner of an F2 race in Monte Carlo," Chairman of Mahindra Group, Anand Mahindra tweeted on Saturday night. You are Standing Tall, @kmainiofficial and the country stands tall with Maini making history as the 1st Indian winner of an F2 race in Monte Carlo… We are proud to have you on our team at @MahindraRacing — anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) May 24, 2025 'It was very close, so I was glad we were in the bubble to get reversed. Obviously, this is the Sprint Race: we all want to win the Feature, but it's still a win in Monaco. As a young kid from India, playing F1 on a PlayStation, I never thought I'd be here and winning in the second tier," Maini at the post-sprint press conference.
