Indian racer Kush Maini completes second F1 test with Alpine

Indian racer Kush Maini completed his second Formula 1 test in Italy. Maini is India’s only racer in the Formula 2 series, a feeder series for the F1.

Maini completed the Formula 1 test at the prestigious Imola Circuit, also known as the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrariin, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The track has a rich motorsport history and is known for its challenging layout.

The 23-year-old Indian took the Formula 1 test as a member of Alpine’s junior driver programme. Maini took to the wheels of the Alpine A 522 car for the second time after his first tryst with the machine came in 2022 at the Red Bull Ring, in Spielberg, Styria, Austria. He drove the same Alpine A522, the 2022 season race car earlier too.

The Indian racer was a part of a two-day testing event for the Alpine team alongside driver Jack Doohan. The Australian motorsport racing driver recently got a promotion to the F1.

The F1 test can open up a world of opportunities for the Indian as the Alpine team’s reserve driver spot is currently vacant. Doohan was Alpine’s reserve driver and he is now promoted to a full-time driver for the next season.

Maini took 99 laps and raced almost 500 kms at the Imola circuit. “(I) can’t thank Alpine enough for this opportunity. (It was a) very strong day, both qualification and race pace looked very good. (I) can’t wait for the next one,” he was quoted as saying.

Maini represents Invicta in Formula 2 and will return to action at Monza over the weekend.

In his second season in F2, Maini stands ninth with 74 points. He won his first-ever F2 race when he topped the sprint race at the Hungarian GP.