It was the day Kush Maini had been waiting for since he started racing, and it came true on Wednesday when he tested a 2022 Alpine F1 car at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.
“It was amazing. An F1 car is a fine piece of engineering, giving the driver confidence to get up to speed easily. In a way, it is easier to drive the F1 car as you can tweak many settings,” said Kush, who is part of the Alpine Young Driver Academy.
Kush Maini in an Alpine F1 car. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“In the first session, I was able to hit my targets a lot quicker than I thought and in the second session, I was pushing and almost right on pace,” added the 23-year-old currently competing in Formula 2.
The test comes at a time when Alpine F1 has a vacant seat for 2025, with Esteban Ocon set to leave the team at the end of this year.
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The driver from Bengaluru said he felt pressure going into the test, trying to find the balance between going quick while not making mistakes. “It was almost like make or break because F1 teams don’t have a lot of time, so you can’t afford to have a crash. Having a successful test and Alpine being happy with my feedback and professionalism brings me closer. If I am in the fight for the F2 title, I can be a serious contender.”
Though Kush started the F2 season strongly with two podiums, he has had a poor run in the last two races but is hopeful of turning it around as it holds the key to his future. “Alpine knows I am capable, but you still have to show the world, and that’s where I have a chance in F2,” said Kush.
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