Kush Maini put himself in a strong position for the 2026 FIA Formula 2 Silverstone Round after qualifying third at Silverstone.
The ART Grand Prix driver narrowly missed out on a front-row start, ending the session just 0.001s behind Rodin Motorsport’s Alex Dunne. Rafael Câmara claimed pole, while Maini’s teammate Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak also delivered a strong result for ART as he qualified sixth.
Speaking in the press conference after Qualifying, attended by Pit Debrief, Maini reflected on the tight margins at the front, the small mistake that cost him time in sector three, and ART’s encouraging form heading into the rest of the Silverstone Round.
Although Maini admitted he had left time on the table, he remained encouraged by the pace of the car and the opportunity to fight for points across both races.
Maini pleased with top-three result despite missed front row
Maini’s F2 Qualifying session at Silverstone started strongly, with the Indian driver initially happy with his first lap on the opening run. However, Dunne improved on his second attempt, while Maini struggled to find the same grip level on his own follow-up lap.
Heading into the second set of tyres, Maini knew the battle at the front would come down to fine margins. While he felt satisfied with much of his final lap, he admitted the last sector prevented him from challenging more closely for the front row, or potentially pole.
“Yeah, I think obviously run one, first lap I was happy with, I think we were P1 and Alex [Dunne] did a good lap on the second lap and I really didn’t have the grip, so yeah, going into the second set I knew it was going to be tight between at least a couple of us, and I think the lap was good until sector three, I think sector three I didn’t really put it together, I think the car was great today and a bit from my side there in sector three.”
Despite that frustration, Maini refused to dwell too much on the missed opportunity. In a championship where race execution can often matter more than starting one or two places higher, he believes third still gives him a useful platform for the weekend.
“I don’t know if it would have been good enough for pole, but definitely a lot closer, but still, you know, top three in a championship like F2, I mean sometimes it doesn’t matter if you’re first or third in the start, you know, so it puts me in a decent position as well for tomorrow to get points in both races and yeah, so I’m generally happy.“
Maini identifies Stowe mistake in sector three
Maini later explained where the time had gone missing on his decisive lap. Asked about the final sector, he pointed to Stowe as the key moment that prevented him from maximising the car’s potential.
The ART driver said he missed the ideal racing line and ended up using more of a wet line through the corner. Around Silverstone, where grip comes from committing fully to the rubbered-in line, that small error proved costly.
“Yeah, I just missed Stowe, I went, I did the wet line basically, yeah, I was missing the rubber, so yeah, so for sure a bit lost there, but I mean if you ask these two guys I’m sure they can pick out places which they could have done better, so. “
When asked whether pole position had been possible had he put the lap together, Maini acknowledged that it may have been within reach. However, he also stressed that the drivers ahead would likely argue they had more time available too.
“Probably, but then he will say he can go another tenth or two quicker, so it’s the same story I think.“
That response underlined just how competitive the session had been. With the top drivers separated by tiny margins, even a minor imperfection through one corner could change the order.
Track limits remain a key Silverstone talking point
Track limits became one of the main talking points across the day at Silverstone, affecting drivers in both Formula 2 and Formula 3. Several drivers had lap times deleted during Qualifying, adding another layer of pressure to a session already defined by small gaps.
Maini, however, said he managed that part of the session without major issues. While he acknowledged that Silverstone often places track limits under the spotlight, Maini felt comfortable with how he handled it in Qualifying.
“Yeah, I think I was fine the whole session, really. I think in the race maybe it can get a bit trickier with dirty air and some understeer, but more or less I think I didn’t really struggle with it today, but it’s definitely a topic in Silverstone always, so it’s something to keep an eye out for, I would say.“
Looking ahead to the races, Maini suggested the challenge could increase when drivers run in traffic. Dirty air and understeer can push cars wider through Silverstone’s fast corners, meaning track limits may remain a factor throughout the weekend.
Maini downplays Qualifying advantage from experience
Maini is now contesting his fourth FIA Formula 2 season, but he rejected the idea that his experience gives him a major advantage over one lap in Qualifying.
Although experience can help drivers prepare for a weekend and understand how a session might evolve, Maini believes pure Qualifying pace still comes down to extracting everything from the car in the moment. In his view, rookies and more experienced drivers face the same challenge once the push lap begins.
“I would say none, to be honest, yeah. I mean, in qualy in the end you get guys from F3, it’s one lap, you drive till the car, to the limit of the car, and maybe in FP it’s a slight advantage, but I mean everyone here has a top level at the front. Yeah, I wouldn’t say pace-wise it’s got any quicker.“
However, Maini did make a clear distinction between Qualifying and racing. While he sees little difference over one lap, he believes experience can matter much more when drivers must manage tyres, strategy, pressure, and the unpredictable nature of F2 races.
“I would say races is a different story to manage that, and mentally, because F2 is a very strange championship sometimes. But yeah, one lap pace, nothing. I mean, I qualified second here in 23, so my first year.“
For Maini, the mental side of Formula 2 remains one of the championship’s biggest challenges. Even when a driver has pace, converting it into consistent results can prove difficult across a long and often chaotic season.
Maini explains hard-to-soft tyre after F2 Qualifying adaptation at Silverstone
During the press conference after the F2 Qualifying in Silverstone, Pit Debrief asked Maini, Câmara and Dunne about the challenge of running practice on the hard tyres before switching to the soft compound for Qualifying. At a circuit like Silverstone, that change can significantly alter the feel of the car. Drivers must quickly understand the extra grip, adjust their braking points, and commit to faster corner speeds when the lap matters most.
Maini said ART already had experience of this type of weekend format from previous rounds, including Barcelona. However, he still acknowledged the clear step in grip between the two compounds.
“Yeah, I think similar to what Alex said, to be honest, we obviously have this situation in Barcelona and we’re quite aware of the differences of hard and soft. So yeah, I would say for sure it’s a big jump. But honestly, I think after a couple of corners, you sort of know what the car can do and then you drive to what it can do.“
The Indian driver explained that the adaptation process happens quickly once the push lap begins. Rather than needing several laps to understand the tyre, he said drivers can feel the available grip almost immediately and then drive accordingly.
“Of course, the second run is always quicker with the lower fuel and you sort out a few things in the driving. But I would say run one already is not far off what the car can do.“
Maini’s answer highlighted the importance of confidence in Qualifying. With limited opportunities to extract the maximum from the soft tyre, drivers must trust the car early and avoid leaving too much time in reserve.
Wind and race pace now become the focus
After Qualifying third, Maini shifted his attention towards the demands of the races. While he said Silverstone usually provides fairly consistent grip levels from year to year, he identified wind as one of the biggest variables for the rest of the weekend.
The high-speed section through Maggots and Becketts leaves drivers particularly exposed to wind direction and gusts. A small change can affect balance, confidence, and how much speed drivers can carry through one of the most demanding sequences on the calendar.
“Yeah, I think actually Silverstone is quite consistent every year. It seems to always get down to a similar time every year, to be honest. I think the biggest thing here is not track grip, but more the wind, you know, the high gusts and a small change of wind can completely change Maggots and Beckets because it’s such, you know, we don’t really have corners like that anywhere.“
Maini also expects the wind to influence racecraft. Depending on direction and strength, DRS and slipstreaming could either become powerful overtaking tools or lose some of their usual effect.
“So keeping an eye on the wind, I think, is important. Also with the DRS tomorrow, it can be strong, the slipstream, or it can be very weak. So, yeah, I think now everything changes really.”
With Qualifying complete, Maini said the entire mindset changes. Instead of focusing on extracting one lap, drivers must now think about tyre life, race pace, overtaking opportunities, and where they can defend or attack most effectively.
“It goes to the race pace and keeping your tyres in the best condition. And also, you know, seeing where to be strong to make the moves and where the wind is. And yeah, so it’s funny how things change on Friday and the whole mindset changes.“
ART encouraged by strongest combined Qualifying of the season
Prix’s strongest combined Qualifying result of the 2026 FIA Formula 2 season so far, with the pair placing third and sixth respectively.
For Maini, the result offered an encouraging sign that both sides of the garage are making progress. He praised Inthraphuvasak’s speed and said the team environment has helped both drivers push forward.
“I think Tas[anapol Inthraphuvasak] obviously is a quick driver and I showed it today as well. Overall, I think we’re all working very well together. And obviously, I’m learning things from Tas as well, like everyone does.“
Maini also highlighted the positive atmosphere at ART. With the championship still not at its halfway point, he believes the team has time to build on its current form and become stronger as the season develops.
“It’s just a great atmosphere, to be honest. And we’re not even halfway in the championship yet. So that gives us hope to be stronger and stronger every race.“
Although ART showed strong pace at Silverstone, Maini admitted the team has not always converted its potential into the points it deserved. That makes the latest Qualifying result both encouraging and slightly frustrating, as it shows what could be possible if everything comes together.
“I don’t think we’ve sort of scored the points we’ve had the pace for this year. But to know that there’s so many more races left and even today not being happy with the P3, I think it shows that there’s maybe good times to come if we put it all together.“
For ART, the Silverstone Round therefore represents an opportunity to turn pace into results and build momentum for the second half of the campaign.
Maini says ART has not maximised its pace yet
Reflecting on the first half of the season, Maini admitted that ART has not fully maximised the pace it has shown. He pointed to missed opportunities, including Miami, as examples of where stronger results could have been achieved.
However, he also took encouragement from the team’s overall competitiveness. Compared to previous seasons, Maini feels ART’s race pace has improved, giving the team a stronger foundation for the remaining rounds.
“Yeah, I think definitely not made the most of the pace we’ve had. Obviously, like Miami, you know, losing the win there from quite a big margin. I think small things like that, but I’ve been quite happy with the pace we’ve had as a team and our race pace also compared to the last two years has seemed to be more competitive.“
With seven rounds still to go after the Silverstone Round, Maini believes ART still has plenty of chances to convert its pace into stronger results. The Indian driver remains aware of the missed points so far, but he also sees opportunity in the second half of the campaign.
“And yeah, I think for sure I don’t feel like we’ve maximised what we’ve had, but we still, like you said, have half a year left, half a season, seven more rounds after this one, so still a lot to play for.“
Maini’s third place in Qualifying gives him a strong starting point at Silverstone. Now, the focus turns to whether he and ART can transform that pace into the points haul they believe their form deserves.
