Source – Social news XYZ
Budapest, July 20 – In a groundbreaking achievement for Indian motorsport, Invicta Racing’s Kush Maini became the first Indian driver to win a Formula 2 race. Maini was elevated to the top position in the Sprint Race at the Hungarian Grand Prix after initial winner Richard Verschoor was disqualified due to a technical infringement.
The disqualification came after a post-race investigation revealed that Verschoor’s Car #22 had a plank thickness of just 3.7mm at the rearward scrutineering hole, falling short of the minimum thickness required by the 2024 FIA Formula 2 Technical Regulations. This breach of Article 3.4.3 led to Verschoor’s removal from the race results, paving the way for Maini’s historic win.
Earlier in the race, Verschoor had delivered a strong performance to claim what appeared to be his fourth Formula 2 victory. Despite losing the lead early on, the Dutch driver had managed to pull ahead of Maini by the race’s conclusion. Maini, who had started on the front row alongside Verschoor, crossed the line in second place, while ART Grand Prix’s Victor Martins secured third.
Maini had maintained his position throughout the race, initially holding second place behind pole-sitter Verschoor. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, starting from P4, made a decisive move on his Soft tyres, overtaking Maini at Turn 2 to claim second place. By the end of Lap 5, Antonelli had established a lead of over two seconds, with Maini gradually closing in on Verschoor for P2. As the race progressed, the Hard tyre runners began to gain ground, narrowing Antonelli’s lead to 1.6 seconds by Lap 11.
Further back, Maini had created a gap of over two seconds to Martins, who was defending against Dennis Hauger in the battle for fourth place. On Lap 13 of 28, Isack Hadjar utilized DRS to move ahead of Bortoleto for seventh place, while Hauger fell behind Fittipaldi to sixth. Verschoor, now closing in on Antonelli, took advantage of the PREMA driver’s mistake on Lap 16. Antonelli ran wide at the final corner and locked up into Turn 1, allowing both Verschoor and Maini to pass.
By the final lap, Verschoor had built a two-second lead over Maini, crossing the line first. However, with Verschoor’s disqualification, Maini was officially awarded the victory. Hadjar finished in fourth place, ahead of Hauger and Colapinto, with Aron moving up to seventh and Barnard completing the points in eighth.
Kush Maini’s victory marks a historic moment for Indian motorsport, showcasing his skill and determination amid intense competition.
