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India`s Kush Maini was on Tuesday promoted to the reserve driver`s role at the Alpine Formula 1 team ahead of the season opener in Melbourne on March 16.
Maini competes in the Formula 2, a feeder series to Formula 1. The 24-year-old from Bengaluru joined Alpine`s junior driver program in October 2023 and now joins Franco Colapinto, Paul Aron and Ryo Hirakawa in the pool of reserve drivers of the F1 team.
“Maini`s duties will involve offering valuable support to the team`s car development and set-up objectives using the driver-in-loop simulator at Enstone, as well as participating in its TPC (testing of previous cars) Programme aimed at improving skills at the wheel of a contemporary, modern Formula One car,” said Alpine in a statement.
For the majority of Formula 1`s 75-year-old history, teams would have only one reserve driver but that trend has changed of late with multiple drivers performing that role.
Kush Maini. 2025 Test and Reserve Driver 👌
We’re delighted to announce, our Alpine Academy driver extends his role to join our pool of Test and Reserve Drivers for the 2025 season. pic.twitter.com/SA4GVQVc4B
— BWT Alpine Formula One Team (@AlpineF1Team) March 11, 2025
For Maini, the development comes as a big boost as he aims to become the third Indian to compete in Formula 1 after Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok.
The Indian racer will represent DAMS in his third Formula 2 season which is run concurrently on select Formula 1 weekends. He finished 11th and 13th in drivers` standing in 2023 and 2024, totalling five podiums including a victory in Hungary.
“Since joining the Alpine Academy ahead of last year, I have been incredibly welcomed in the entire Alpine family and I am thankful to Flavio and Oliver for their continued support.
“I am looking forward to getting more track time in Formula One machinery in this role and to build on what I have already learned with the team in 2024.
“I`m very excited to begin the role as soon as possible but for now my focus is on my third season in Formula 2 kicking off this weekend in Australia,” said Maini.
Alpine Academy director Julian Rouse said Maini`s performance during testing of previous cars was impressive.
“Kush has impressed the team across his TPC performances and Formula 2 results whilst we have been working with him and we expect he will continue to do so in 2025. His wider role allows us to further expand our pool of driving talent who can provide support and resource to the whole team during the busy season,” said Rouse.
(With PTI inputs)
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