Kush Maini has entered the 2026 FIA Formula 2 season with renewed determination, fully aware that this campaign could define his future in the F2 Championship. The ART Grand Prix driver began his fourth season in Melbourne, where he qualified seventh but failed to score points after encountering issues in both races.
Maini confident despite challenging start to 2026 F2 season in Melbourne
Although the opening round did not deliver the results he wanted, Maini has focused on the bigger picture. He has built valuable experience over multiple seasons, and that foundation now gives him confidence that he can finally put together a complete campaign. Moreover, his reflections show a driver who understands both his strengths and the areas that need improvement.
“I feel good, I think my experience in this championship is quite high now,” he said to Formula 2. “I’ve got wins, poles, fastest laps, podiums, but not consistently for whatever reason. Last year was very difficult for me to get comfortable with the car and for it to click, but the end of season test with ART was mega.
That turnaround at the end of the year proved crucial. It allowed him to reconnect with the car and rebuild confidence, giving him momentum heading into the winter break.
“I felt like myself again and I felt like everything was clicking again and we were very fast again. Going into the winter knowing that there’s a lot of untapped potential which I want to show this year. I’m just fortunate, glad, and lucky to be a part of the grid again.”
A battle for consistency and confidence
Maini reflected on his earlier performances in F2, highlighting that his pace has often placed him in strong positions, particularly during his first season in the Championship. However, he acknowledged that converting that speed into consistent results has been a recurring challenge across his career.
“It’s strange because my first season in F2 we were fighting for poles almost every race weekend and consistently in the points for the first half of the year.”
He explained that F2 demands precision across every element, from car setup to race execution, and even small inconsistencies can lead to significant fluctuations in results.
“It’s tough to get everything right in this championship. It’s a very tricky championship to put together. This year I would say is my last chance, but I’m just going to enjoy it.”
Looking ahead, Maini has shifted his focus towards enjoying the process while still striving to perform at his highest level, aiming to bring together all the elements required for a strong season.
“I just want to feel fast again, feel like myself again, which I haven’t felt for a while. I felt it in Abu Dhabi and I just want to carry that feeling and enjoy this year.”
Maini takes lessons from 2025 into 2026 F2 campaign
Maini opened up about the emotional difficulty of a challenging 2025 campaign, explaining how hard it is for a driver to invest everything without seeing the results reflect that effort. Despite those struggles, he maintained belief in his ability, pointing to specific moments where his performance reaffirmed his confidence and reminded him of his underlying potential.
“The toughest thing is as a driver when you give your life to this and it’s not coming, but you know what you’re capable of. That belief is still there for me, and Abu Dhabi showed me that even when I was at my lowest of lows.
He also acknowledged the unpredictable nature of F2, noting that resilience is essential when facing repeated challenges across a season.
“Obviously, anything can happen in F2, we can go through tough times again and again, but I think I’m ready for anything that comes to be honest.”
Maini highlighted the connection he shares with ART Grand Prix, explaining how both driver and team have experienced difficult periods and are now working together to rebuild.
“ART are a team that’s been one of the best and for me they still are. They’ve been through a rough patch, same as me. It’s nice to find each other when we’re both at a low and fight our way back to the top.”
Renewed confidence after a difficult 2025
Reflecting on his previous season, he admitted that the lack of consistent results led to self-doubt, marking one of the toughest phases of his career. However, he pointed to a Formula 1 session as a key turning point, where his performance reminded both himself and the team of his capabilities at the highest level.
“Obviously, last year, 2025, was probably my worst year overall. Nothing came together and at the end I had a lot of self-doubt. But at my lowest, jumping into an official Formula 1 session with some of the best drivers in the world knowing that I was quick and, on the money, and the team was very happy with the performance.”
That experience helped him rebuild confidence, which he carried into post-season testing, where he once again demonstrated strong pace. As a result, he approached the winter with a sense of momentum, determined to rebuild his form through hard work and belief.
“Knowing that I could do that just gave me a lot of confidence back and then I took that into the F2 test and that proved it again. It’s sort of like going into the winter, from being at rock bottom, I sort of got a bit of a float, kept the belief and worked hard.”
Maini adopts a new mindset for an unpredictable championship
Maini explained that his approach to setting goals has evolved over time, particularly after experiencing the unpredictable nature of F2 across multiple seasons. He noted that the championship often produces unexpected outcomes, making it difficult to rely solely on pre-season expectations.
“The last three years I’ve set goals to be honest,” he explained. “But what I’ve learned from F2 is that there’s always a spanner in the works in this championship. Anything can happen.”
Maini illustrated how performance can vary dramatically from one circuit to another, even when conditions appear similar, reinforcing the importance of adaptability. With that in mind, he has refined his focus to concentrate on what he can control, particularly his own performance and execution across each session.
“There are times when you can be P1 in one track and then one week later you go to another track and you’re P20 and you don’t know why. It’s a championship where I think all we can do is control how we do and as long as I do that, I’m happy and we’ll see what happens.”
This mindset allows Maini to approach the season with clarity, focusing on delivering consistent performances rather than becoming distracted by results that are often influenced by factors outside his control.
Maini determined to rediscover his best in 2026 F2 campaign
Ultimately, Maini has centred his 2026 F2 campaign on rediscovering his identity as a driver. Rather than placing pressure on himself with expectations, he has chosen to embrace the process and enjoy racing again. This shift in perspective could prove crucial in unlocking the performance he believes still lies within him.
With ART Grand Prix also looking to return to the front, the partnership offers a sense of shared purpose. Both driver and team aim to rebuild and re-establish themselves among the frontrunners. If Maini can translate his renewed confidence into consistent performances, he may yet turn this “last chance” into a breakthrough season.
