Kush Maini becomes first Indian to win F2, scripts history; Anand Mahindra hails remarkable feat: ‘Country stands tall with you'
Maini's remarkable performance drew widespread praise, including a heartfelt message from Mahindra and Mahindra chairman Anand Mahindra. 'You are Standing Tall and the country stands tall with you. Kush Maini making history as the 1st Indian winner of an F2 race in Monte Carlo… We are proud to have you on our team,' the business tycoon wrote.
See here:
You are Standing Tall, @kmainiofficial and the country stands tall with you.
Kush Maini making history as the 1st Indian winner of an F2 race in Monte Carlo…
We are proud to have you on our team at @MahindraRacing pic.twitter.com/mJJg2Dlxpo
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) May 24, 2025
Starting the Sprint Race from pole position, earned through Formula 2's reverse-grid rule, which inverts the top ten qualifiers from Friday, Maini seized the opportunity after qualifying 10th for the Feature Race.
The victory was a personal milestone for Maini and a proud moment for fans. The Indian national anthem echoed across the iconic circuit during the podium ceremony, with Maini standing tall and singing along.
Watch here:
A post shared by GQ India (@gqindia)
Currently serving as a reserve driver for the BWT Alpine F1 Team, Maini's breakthrough win at Monaco has significantly elevated his profile. It has also reignited discussions about a potential full-time Formula 1 seat shortly.
The young Indian racer had an impressive campaign in the 2024 Formula 2 season, securing five podium finishes, including a memorable win in Hungary. His consistent performance was instrumental in helping Invicta Racing clinch the Teams' Championship title. Maini also made history earlier in the season by becoming the first Indian driver to secure a pole position in Formula 2, achieving the milestone at the Jeddah circuit.
Reflecting on his current role in Formula 1, Maini told indianexpress.com, 'Being a reserve driver for the BWT Alpine F1 Team is an incredible opportunity, and a moment of immense pride for me and my family as it's been my dream to represent the Tricolor in F1. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I'm deeply grateful for the trust the team has placed in me. I'm excited to kickstart 2025 and continue this remarkable journey.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
19 minutes ago
- Mint
Indian shares inch lower as Kotak earnings drag financials, trade deal delay weighs
By Bharath Rajeswaran and Vivek Kumar M (Reuters) -Indian shares inched lower on Monday as weak results from Kotak Mahindra Bank weighed on sentiment, while uncertainty over trade talks with the U.S. added to overall caution. The Nifty 50 fell 0.16% to 24,798.9 points and the BSE Sensex lost 0.2% to 81,325.4 as of 10:03 a.m. IST. The broader small-caps and mid-caps lost 0.3% and 0.2%, respectively. Negotiations between India and the United States remained deadlocked over tariff cuts on agriculture and dairy products, dimming hopes of an interim deal ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's August 1 deadline. This is in contrast to a framework trade agreement struck between the U.S. and European Union over the weekend, easing fears of a bigger trade war between the two allies, which account for almost a third of global trade. High-weightage financials and private banks lost 0.2% and 1%, respectively, dragged by a 7% fall in Kotak Mahindra Bank after it posted a drop in quarterly profit. The IT index lost 0.5%, with Tata Consultancy Services shedding 1.6% after it announced plans to reduce its workforce by 2% in fiscal year 2026. The Nifty 50 and 30-stock Sensex have logged four consecutive weekly losses due to weak earnings, foreign outflows and uncertainty over the U.S.-India trade deal. "A dull earnings season and the lingering delay in the India-U.S. trade deal have clearly cast a shadow on market sentiment. With valuations still stretched across the board, investors are understandably treading with heightened caution," said G Chokkalingam, founder and head of research at Equinomics Research. Among individual stocks, Mphasis gained 2.4% on posting quarterly results in-line with estimates and on strong deal bookings, which has boosted the IT company's revenue growth outlook. SBI Cards and Payment Services lost 3.7% after missing profit estimates in the June quarter. (Reporting by Vivek Kumar M and Bharath Rajeswaran; Editing by Eileen Soreng and Mrigank Dhaniwala)
India.com
19 minutes ago
- India.com
Washington Sundar Ignores Harry Brook's Handshake During Jadeja's Century Celebration, Video Goes Viral
ENG vs IND: The 4th Test between India and England at Old Trafford, Manchester, ended in a dramatic draw, thanks to resilient centuries from Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. On a final day where England eyed a series-clinching win, the Indian duo held firm and denied the hosts a 3-1 lead in the five-match series. Stokes Offers Early Draw, India Decline With India comfortably navigating the final session and both batters closing in on their centuries, England captain Ben Stokes reportedly offered an early handshake to draw the match. However, the Indian camp declined, keen to let Jadeja and Sundar complete their personal milestones. Handshake Snub Goes Viral A moment of light-hearted awkwardness went viral on social media when England's part-time bowler Harry Brook extended a hand to congratulate Jadeja after his century, thinking the match would end there. However, both Jadeja and Sundar continued celebrating their milestones, unintentionally leaving Brook hanging. The incident added an amusing twist to an otherwise tense final day. Moment of the match. Ravindra Jadeja scored 100 and Harry Brook intentionally came forward to call off the match. But Washington Sundar totally ignored him. Brook reaction after that — Selfless (@SelflessCricket) July 27, 2025 Brook, Root Bowl Final Overs as Fast Bowlers Rested England resorted to bowling part-timers Harry Brook and Joe Root during the final stages of the match. With no realistic chance of a win and only pride at stake, Stokes revealed in the post-match presentation that he didn't want to risk injury to any of his key fast bowlers with one Test still to go. 'Yeah, I think all the hard work was done by India. They both (Washi and Jadeja) played incredibly well and it got to that point where there was obviously only one result,' Stokes said. 'There was absolutely no chance I was going to risk any of my big fast bowlers through injuries with one more game to go. Dawsy (Liam Dawson) just bowled so many overs this game his body started to cramp up in the legs, so I wasn't risking any of my frontline bowlers for that last half an hour,' he added. Jadeja's composed ton was a reminder of his growing stature as a dependable Test batter, while Washington Sundar's return to red-ball cricket was marked by grit and poise. His century was particularly important, as it came after a long injury layoff. Together, the pair stitched an unbroken partnership that drained England's hopes on a pitch that had earlier promised plenty of assistance to bowlers. Series Decider Set for The Oval With the series now level at 2-1 in England's favour, the fifth and final Test at The Oval is expected to be a high-stakes encounter. India must win to draw the series, while a draw or win for England will hand them the series trophy.
Mint
19 minutes ago
- Mint
Washington Sundar turns down Harry Brook's handshake offer, joins Jadeja's century celebrations
Tensions between India and England came to a boil once again on Day 5 of the Manchester Test as England skipper Ben Stokes asked Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar to draw the match in the final hour of play, sensing there was only one result possible from that point. However, Jadeja and Sundar—batting on 89 and 80 respectively—refused to budge, prompting a barrage of comments from the English players about how the two should have maintained their tempo or if they were simply chasing personal milestones against the likes of Harry Brook. The Indian batters, though, were in no mood to let go of the momentum and didn't seem to be paying much heed to the chatter. Jadeja even shifted the responsibility, pointing towards the dressing room and clarifying that it was the call of the captain and coach to continue playing. Soon after, Jadeja brought up his fifth Test century with a big shot off Brook's bowling. As he celebrated, Brook appeared to think the match would now be drawn and extended his hand toward Sundar, suggesting an end. But Sundar paid no attention, instead running across to his partner to celebrate the milestone. A couple of overs later, Sundar too reached his hundred—his maiden Test ton at the international level—and India finally agreed to call it a draw. Jadeja and Sundar walked in after the dismissals of a well-set KL Rahul and Shubman Gill in the first session on Day 5. Jadeja offered a chance to Joe Root at slip off the very first ball he faced, but from there on, the duo looked resolute. They weathered everything England threw at them and ensured only one result was possible. The two left-handers added over 200 runs while batting through two full sessions, tiring out England's bowlers ahead of a quick turnaround before the final Test at The Oval. Their partnership has not only helped India avoid defeat but also kept them alive in the series, with the visitors now trailing 2-1. The young Shubman Gill-led side will have a chance to level the series in the fifth and final Test.
