F1 Champion Mika Hakkinen to Mentor Indian F2 Driver Kush Maini
At the moment, Maini competes in Formula 2 for Campos Racing. With a podium finish in the Australian Sprint Race, he is currently 11th in the Drivers' Championship. He had a season of ups and downs, but the Indian driver is optimistic about 2024.
By Divyam Dubey
Aspiring Formula 1 driver Kush Maini of India will gain guidance from two-time World Champion Mika Hakkinen as he works towards his goal of racing at the highest level of motorsport. Formula 1 legend Mika Hakkinen is showing his support to the young talent Kush Maini, 23, who has had an outstanding year with several top-five qualifying finishes and a podium in Melbourne. They are focused on one thing, and that is making it to Formula 1. In addition to helping train current Alfa Romeo Sauber driver and former Mercedes F1 race winner Valtteri Bottas, Mika Hakkinen has a track record of helping develop young, ambitious F1 drivers. At present in Formula 1, Mark Webber also acts as a mentor to Oscar Piastri, who has made great strides this season with McLaren, culminating in podium finishes and a sprint race victory. Having a former Formula 1 race winner on your side can help you focus on what really matters during a racing weekend, get recognition from your teammates, and improve your communication skills. It can also be a useful tool for professional development by opening doors to potential sponsors.
Hakkinen to Guide Maini
Taking to social media, Kush Maini posted, “Super excited to announce that two-time Formula 1 world champion Mika Hakkinen will be mentoring me and guiding my career from here on out. So grateful for this amazing opportunity to learn from one of the greatest in motorsport!”
Super excited to announce that two time formula 1 world champion Mika Hakkinen will be mentoring me and guiding my career from here on out. So grateful for this amazing opportunity to learn from one of the greatest in motorsport! pic.twitter.com/IQ9MM4owow
— Kush Maini (@kmainiofficial) October 12, 2023
In the first half of the F2 season, Maini was a serious threat to finish in the top four for Campos Racing. Maini thinks he can challenge for first in 2024 with Hakkinen's coaching and management strategies and processes.
Who is Kush Maini?
Kush Maini of Bangalore is the younger brother of former Formula 2 racer and Haas F1 team development driver Arjun Maini. In the 2020 British F3 Championship, which Hakkinen won in 1990, the younger Maini came in second. Kush finished third in the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship in 2018, racking up one victory and seven other podium finishes. After his most successful season to date, Kush is eager to further establish himself as one of India's top prospects for Formula 1.
Before moving on to cars, Kush had a successful karting career, where he established several new standards for Indian and Asian drivers in European competition. While also finishing second in the WSK Euro Series and third in the WSK Masters Series, he made history in 2013 as the first Indian to win a race in the 60 Mini class. This was followed by the youngster's fourth-place finish in the 2014 CIK-FIA World Karting Championship.
