Kush Maini Monaco GP F2 Victory

Kush Maini, Arjun Maini, Formula 2, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc

May 26, 2025

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Kush Maini: The F2 Champion who can become India’s Formula 1 Ace

Formula 2, the second in line to the pinnacle of global motorsport, F1, saw an Indian racer script history and clinch his maiden title at the iconic Monte Carlo track.

F2 or Formula 2 is where the world’s best young drivers prove their mettle and talent before entering F1. Every F1 driver that’s a superstar today – from Lewis Hamilton to Charles Leclerc — had once raced in F2. So, when an Indian wins an F2 race, especially at a track as iconic as Monaco, it is not just a race win – it is a statement. A strong statement to silence the ones who constantly question and doubt the immense potential Indian athletes possess.

Kush Maini, the man of the hour, secured a thumping victory in the Monte Carlo Sprint Race for DAMS Lucas Oil, his current team, and converted it into a pole position at the flagship ‘Circuit de Monaco’. The Indian driver held off fellow Alpine Academy driver Gabriele Minì, who finished second for PREMA Racing, and became the first Indian racer to win at the iconic venue. He ensured the close chase with Gabriele kept the excitement alive throughout the duration and never let him get he better off Kush, though it may have looked so.

Under the glittering skies of the Cote d’Azur, Kush Maini etched his name into racing history with a spectacular victory in the Formula 2 Sprint Race on the vibrant streets of Monaco. His precision, composure and unshakeable focus helped him claim his first F2 win of the season with a podium finish as the ‘cherry on top’ moment at what can be termed as one of the most prestigious venues in motorsport.

This landmark achievement makes Maini the first Indian driver to seal a win at Monaco, an outcome that previous motorsport drivers – legendary Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok could not accomplish. Kush commenced his race from the pole position, and as the laps progressed, the Alpine F1 Team reserve driver showcased exemplary control and strategic poise throughout the race.

Kush Maini, Arjun Maini, Formula 2, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc

He made the most of a compelling start and managed the unfathomable pressure with a veteran-like maturity, securing a dominant lights-to-flag victory. His P10 qualification for Sunday’s Feature Race placed him on pole for May 24^th Sprint Race, due to the reverse grid system followed as per the technical guidelines. The DAMS driver seemed pretty confident in all 30 lap and exhibited a demeanor that worked in his favour. The racing year 2025 began with a rocky start for the charming racer, but the Monaco win has timed itself perfectly, by giving a huge boost to his confidence and momentum at a critical point in the chock-a-blocked race calendar.

What is F2 Sprint Racing?

For someone who’s a motorsport fanatic, understanding the levels of Formula racing will not seem like a daunting task. As the name indicates, Formula 2, the second tier of the FIA’s single-seater pyramid serves as the pioneering benchmark for the brightest young talents in motorsport as they try to be a part of the Formula 1 circuit.

The F2 Sprint Race is a ‘single-make championship’, implying that each team is given a similar car with identical engines. As a result, no driver has a technological advantage over others competing in the race. Their ability to extract the best performance from themselves and their machines is what makes the difference on track.

Formula 2 is much like the equivalent of a F1 support championship, with a total of 14 Formula 2 rounds being held on selective F1 weekends across the globe. This calendar schedule not only gives F2 drivers an opportunity to sharpen their talent on tracks, but serves as an impetus to display their abilities to the F1 paddock.

F2 comprises of 22 of the most formidable young racing minds pitted against one another, from 11 most well-known teams in junior motorsport. Just like in Formula 1, each team enters two cars, which means two different race drivers from every qualified team.

Who’s Kush Maini?

Born in September 2000, Kush Maini can be aptly described as a suave and stylish 24-year-old, who’s got his head high and feet well on the ground. The 171 cm tall India F2 race driver hails from a motorsport-rooted and obsessed family, with his brother Arjun Maini a GP3 and Formula 2 race driver; while uncle and business tycoon Chetan Maini has been the mastermind behind creating India’s first electric car, Reva.

The Indian racer made the step up from FIA Formula 3 where he placed 13th in the 2022 Drivers’ Championship with MP Motorsport.
Maini has previously competed in Formula 4, the Formula Renault Eurocup, the FIA World Endurance Championship and FIA Formula 3.
Kush Maini is an Alpine Academy member, as their reserve race driver.
Kush Maini is in this third campaign year of the FIA Formula 2 grid, and is representing the new team DAMS Lucas Oil.
He spent his first two seasons at Campos Racing and Invicta Racing respectively and achieved his maiden victory at the Budapest Sprint Race in 2024 with Invicta.
With his rapid rise and consistent improvement, Kush Maini can be viewed as a potential successor to previous Indian F1 pioneers, reviving hopes of flying the country’s tricolour high on the Formula 1 grid.

Finally a breakthrough in Monaco!

I’m so grateful to the entire team that has been working hard behind the scenes despite a tough start to the year. This is just the beginning of our season… let’s build on this momentum and take on Barcelona 👊 @damsracing

A special thank… pic.twitter.com/I37RWQedwk

— Kush Maini (@kmainiofficial) May 26, 2025

Road Ahead for Kush Maini

With Kush Maini’s win in the Formula 2 race at the Monte Carlo circuit in Monaco, history has been scripted, and the young sensation had turned this victory into an unforgettable moment for Indian motorsport. As the first Indian to achieve the laurel, the Monaco F2 race has proved that India is no longer just watching motorsport but competing at the highest levels.

Soon the F1 race would see participation by an Indian driver and join the likes of existing heroes in the racing arena, a sport that has not seen many Indians taking it as a professional career choice.

The Indian native, Kush is currently ranked 12th in the world championship standings with 15 points. His only prior points-scoring finish was in Saudi Arabia, where he scored a solitary point in the feature race by finishing on the 10^th place. This is Maini’s third season in F2 racing. From the participations done until now, he’s won the top finish twice and picked up six podiums in 64 races across three seasons.

From a young lad who was obsessed with PlayStation gaming to clinching the F2 sprint race triumph in Monaco; Kush Maini certainly has a long way ahead, and races like these will bring him the deserving glory at the international level.