Kush Maini reflected on his FIA Formula 2 journey after Qualifying in Monza, a path marked by challenges, and lessons learned. Each season has brought new tests, shaping both his approach on track and his resilience off it. As the championship unfolds, Maini continues to balance ambition with the realities of one of motorsport’s toughest proving grounds.
Maini aimes to show race craft after efter early setbacks
Maini reflected on the challenges of his third F2 season, describing 2025 as a season of highs and lows. The Indian driver has seen mixed fortunes in the series. While his rookie campaign in 2023 saw him consistently inside the top 5, he lost momentum in 2024. This year, however, has seemed a repeat of the last, with Maini noting that recent rounds have felt particularly difficult.
“Yes, first year obviously, I had to do something really bad in Qualifying to be out of the top five. Second year started really strong with some poles and fighting for poles, and then went completely backwards. This year obviously it just hasn’t felt great the last six rounds.”
Early issues outside his control disrupted his rhythm. Yet, he praised his team for working tirelessly to recover when confidence could have slipped away. Looking to the final four rounds, Maini set straightforward goals: to race well, make strong moves, and secure consistent points.
“We had a few issues at the start of the year, which was out of our control. I think it just shows that when you’re slightly out of the window, you pay it a lot. Me and the team have worked really hard and called props to them to come back here because it was very easy then to just let our confidence fall and not be here.”
“The next four rounds, I would say, just show what I’m capable of in races and make some good moves, race well and get some points.”
Maini admits struggles with confidence but sees progress after summer reset
For Kush Maini, the middle phase of the 2025 F2 season proved to be one of the toughest spells of his career so far. A series of pointless finishes left him frustrated and questioning his confidence in the car. He admitted that the lack of Qualifying pace was particularly damaging, as it placed him on the back foot before the lights even went out on race day.
“It’s been a real struggle mentally, but I think, honestly, you learn a lot in these tough moments. I think going away and having the break, knowing that we’ve barely scored any points in the last six, seven races. To be fair, I just haven’t been quick in quali. I was trying to almost last every race, so I didn’t really know what was happening. I didn’t feel any confidence in the car or anything. Quali was normally one of my stronger bits.”
Despite one-lap speed usually being one of his key strengths, Maini found himself puzzled by his lack of form. As the rounds passed without reward, the struggle became as much mental as physical. He admitted that heading into the summer break, it felt like he needed to reset both himself and his approach.
Confidence Returning with Renewed Focus
The break offered him exactly that. Time away from the cockpit gave Maini the clarity to remind himself that setbacks are part of racing at this level, and that consistency in F2 often relies on many different elements clicking together.
“It was very confusing going into the off-season. Like I said, F2 is F2. A lot of things have to click for you to be in the front. I hope in these last four races, we can show what we can do as a team. We’ve worked really hard this year, but in the end, I’ve just got to do what I can do. I think this weekend has proved to me that if you have a bad weekend, it’s not the end of the world because there’s just so many things. This weekend just felt great with the car. It hasn’t felt like this in a long time.”
With his team working tirelessly to keep morale high, Maini found encouragement in rediscovering a good feeling with the car. The struggles of the early summer, he suggested, have left him more determined and grounded. For the final stretch of the season, he is eager to turn the page and translate that renewed confidence into results.
