F2: Kush Maini Converts Pole to Victory with Flawless Drive in Monaco GP

Kush Maini delivered a composed and strategic drive through the streets of Monte Carlo on Saturday, converting pole position into victory in the FIA Formula 2 Sprint Race for DAMS Lucas Oil. The Indian driver fended off sustained pressure from PREMA Racing’s Gabriele Minì to take his second career F2 win and his first of the 2025 season.

Maini’s triumph came on one of the most demanding circuits in the calendar, where overtaking is rare and precision is paramount. The 24-year-old Alpine Academy driver maintained his composure throughout the 30-lap sprint, even as Minì shadowed him for the majority of the race, the gap often under half a second.

The race began cleanly for Maini, who launched well off the line to retain the lead into Sainte Devote. Behind him, a poor getaway from Luke Browning saw the Hitech TGR driver drop from second to fifth, with Minì moving up into P2. That early shuffle set the tone for a tense contest among the frontrunners.

The opening phase saw a brief battle for third position when Arvid Lindblad of Campos Racing made contact with Jak Crawford at Mirabeau in an ambitious move. While Lindblad initially emerged in third, the incident later earned him a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision—proving costly in the final classification.

Maini and Minì quickly broke away from the rest of the field, establishing an eight-second buffer to Lindblad by Lap 10. The pressure on Maini intensified when the Safety Car was deployed on Lap 12, following contact between MP Motorsport’s Oliver Goethe and AIX Racing’s Joshua Duerksen, which left the Paraguayan’s car stranded in the barriers at Portier.

When racing resumed on Lap 15, Maini immediately created a crucial gap to escape Minì’s DRS range, neutralising the Italian's overtaking threat. Lindblad, still in provisional third on the road, came under renewed pressure from Browning, who had recovered to fourth and remained within striking distance.

Further down the field, Goethe’s aggressive move on Victor Martins at La Rascasse led to a second 10-second penalty for the MP driver, highlighting the risks involved on Monaco’s tight layout.

As the race entered its final third, Minì closed the gap once again, at times running within 0.2 seconds of the race leader. However, Maini remained unfazed, hitting every braking point and apex to deny his rival any real opportunity to pass.

Lindblad, aware of his looming time penalty, pushed hard in the final laps to open up a gap over Browning in hopes of retaining a podium finish. While he succeeded in catching Minì by the final lap, his efforts were ultimately in vain. Once the penalty was applied, Lindblad was demoted to eighth, elevating Browning to third.

Jak Crawford finished fourth, followed by Van Amersfoort Racing’s Richard Verschoor and Sebastián Montoya. Trident’s Leonardo Fornaroli claimed seventh, while Lindblad salvaged the final point in eighth.

The win marks a significant result for Maini, who has been steadily building momentum in his second full season in F2. It also strengthens his position within the Alpine Academy as the team evaluates future F1 prospects.

Despite the win, Maini remains outside the top five in the Drivers’ Championship. Hitech’s Alexander Dunne retains the lead with 65 points, closely followed by Browning on 64. Verschoor (59), Fornaroli (54), and Lindblad (46) round out the top five.

In the Teams’ Championship, Hitech TGR leads with 93 points, ahead of Campos Racing (87), MP Motorsport (71), Rodin Motorsport (65), and Invicta Racing (63).

Attention now turns to Sunday’s Feature Race, where Alexander Dunne will start from pole position with ART Grand Prix’s Victor Martins alongside on the front row. Lights out is scheduled for 13:10 IST. For Maini, the Sprint Race victory is more than just a trophy—it's a statement of consistency, control, and competitive edge, right where it matters most in motorsport’s most iconic venue.