Formula 2: Kush Maini Creates History with Monaco Sprint Victory — Becomes First Indian to Triumph at Circuit de Monaco
Indian racing sensation Kush Maini made history by clinching a remarkable win in the Formula 2 Sprint Race at Monaco, driving for DAMS Lucas Oil. Starting from pole, Maini fended off strong pressure from fellow Alpine Academy driver Gabriele Minì of PREMA Racing to secure the top podium spot. With this victory, Maini has become the first Indian to win at the prestigious Monaco circuit.
“P1, and the first Indian to win in Monaco too. It’s an incredible honor and truly a dream come true. Big thanks to DAMS and everyone who’s stood by me. We continue to believe!” said an emotional Maini post-race.
Maini made an ideal launch off the grid, while Luke Browning slipped to fifth right at Turn 1, opening the door for Minì to take P2. In a dramatic moment at Mirabeau, Lindblad tried to overtake Jak Crawford for third, but contact between the two allowed Browning to retake fourth position. Though Crawford emerged from the incident in third, he was later penalized with a 10-second time penalty for causing the collision.
As DRS was activated, Minì closed in on Maini, with the gap shrinking to just 0.3 seconds in the initial 10 laps. Both drivers steadily pulled away, creating an eight-second buffer over Lindblad in third.
The race saw a twist on Lap 12 when the Safety Car was deployed following an incident involving Joshua Duerksen of AIX Racing. Duerksen’s car crashed into the barriers near Portier after a collision with Oliver Goethe of MP Motorsport, ending the Paraguayan’s race.
Racing resumed on Lap 15, and Maini quickly managed to stay out of DRS range from Minì. Meanwhile, Browning kept up the pressure on Lindblad in the fight for the final podium position.
Oliver Goethe made a strong move by overtaking Victor Martins at La Rascasse to take P9. However, contact during the maneuver earned Goethe a 10-second time penalty.
With just 10 laps remaining, Minì reduced the lead to 0.2 seconds again. Lindblad, aware of his looming penalty, started backing off to create a time cushion and prepare for a final push. Red Bull Junior Team advised him to increase his pace on Lap 22, and Lindblad responded, attempting to stay ahead of Browning.
As the race entered its final lap, Lindblad closed in on Minì, but Maini had already built a secure gap of a few seconds.
After applying Lindblad’s penalty, Browning was awarded third place, pushing the Campos driver down to eighth. Jak Crawford finished fourth, followed by Richard Verschoor, Sebastián Montoya, Leonardo Fornaroli, and finally Lindblad in P8.
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