Who’s Kush Maini, the Indian racer named Alpine Method 1 staff’s Take a look at and Reserve Driver?

Kush Maini made historical past on Tuesday after Alpine named the 24-year-old Indian racer as their Take a look at and Reserve Driver for the 2025 Method 1 season. The
Alpine Academy driver thus turns into the third Indian to enter F1 even when a debut race in essentially the most elite open-wheel, single-seater occasion continues to be a while away.

“I’m delighted to step as much as the function of Take a look at and Reserve Driver for BWT Alpine Method 1 Staff this season,” Maini was quoted as saying on the official F1 web site.

“Since becoming a member of the Alpine Academy forward of final yr, I’ve been extremely welcomed in the complete Alpine household and I’m grateful to Flavio (Briatore) and Oliver (Oakes) for his or her continued assist.”

In his function as Take a look at and Reserve Driver, the 24-year-old can be utilizing the driver-in-loop simulator at Alpine’s base in Enstone, United Kingdom to assist their automobile improvement and also will take part within the Testing of Earlier Automobiles programme to additional improve his expertise.

Maini will proceed competing in Method 2, the place he’s set for a 3rd season, with DAMS (Driot Associés Motor Sport).

“I’m trying ahead to getting extra observe time in Method 1 equipment on this function and to construct on what I’ve already realized with the staff in 2024.

“I’m very excited to start the function as quickly as doable however for now my focus is on my third season in Method 2 kicking off this weekend in Australia.”

Who’s Kush Maini?

Kush, whose older brother Arjun additionally a racer, was born on 22 September in Bengaluru. After spending preliminary years of his childhood within the ‘Backyard Metropolis’, Maini he moved to the UK to give attention to karting and in addition spent a while in Italy in addition to in Switzerland, he revealed on the official Method 3 web site.

His first victory as a racer got here on the age of 10 when he emerged triumphant within the karting part of the Indian Nationwide Championship.

“The very fact that there have been lots of drivers older than me, Jehan (Daruvala) was racing in it. It was an excellent race to win. I had by no means received earlier than that yr and it was the final one, I simply managed to win it. In order that gave me confidence,” Maini was quoted as saying by the F3 web site.

After a robust junior profession, Maini began his single-seater profession within the Italian F4 championship in 2016, competing for BVM Racing. Maini would go on to gather a collection of wins within the British Method 3 earlier than ending second in 2020 whereas representing Hitech Grand Prix. Alongside the way in which, he additionally competed within the Method Renault Eurocup.

He would then compete within the F3 Asian Championship, competing for Mumbai Falcons, earlier than getting into the FIA Method 3 in 2022, accumulating a podium end at Hungaroring. Maini would proceed his upward trajectory thereafter, making his F2 debut the next yr with for Campos Racing, ending second within the function race in Bahrain and accumulating his solely podium of the season in Melbourne.

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India’s Kush Maini achieves career-best F2 end in 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

He would make much more F2 historical past the next season after becoming a member of Invicta Racing, serving to them win the Constructors’ Championship and securing 5 podiums,
together with a race win in Hungary. He had additionally develop into the primary Indian to clinch pole place in Method Two.