Motorsport is not as big as cricket in India, but it is gaining popularity and is fast becoming one of the favourite sports of the youth. Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok sowed the seeds of motorsport awakening in India, and the legacy is being carried forward by youngsters like Kush Maini, who recently made history by becoming the first Indian to win a Formula 2 race at the iconic Monaco Grand Prix – one of the most prestigious and challenging circuits in the world.

In an exclusive conversation with Times Now, Kush Maini opened up about the historic win and how he felt as he closed in on history at the Monaco Grand Prix.

“I think for most of the race, I was definitely in the zone. And I didn't really think much of it.

But the last two laps, you know, I started just thinking about how it would feel having the national anthem being played across such an iconic circuit.

"And that's all I could think about, really. And yeah, going across the line, it was a very proud moment. It's obviously been a tough start to the season for me, but to win at such an iconic circuit and to have our flag flying high, it's just an amazing feeling,” he said.

Maini acknowledged that there was pressure on him as he chased history in Monaco, but said that he has learned the art of using it positively.

“There is pressure for sure. And there always is at this level. But you know, it's how you use that pressure. And I think through the years, I've learned how to channel it in a positive way and to actually just drive better and be more focused.

"But yeah, I enjoy pressure now, actually, compared to like five, six years ago when I used to come to London."

Maini said he felt proud when he heard the Indian National Anthem being played at the grand stage. The 24-year-old added that he wants motorsport to be as popular as cricket and more accessible in India.

“For me, it's always been about India. I race with a lot of pride and I love my country. I want to see it do well in motorsports. Obviously, we're very, very good at cricket. That's why it's so popular. And I want to get to that level in racing as well.

"I want to make this even more accessible for kids who want to become racing drivers. Because right now, it feels like a kid's telling his dad, I want to be a racing driver. It's like I want to go to the moon. But I hope it's changing slowly and I hope this brings a bit of change to it. But ultimately, my goal is to make it to Formula 1 and make a change to try and make this sport bigger and more accessible."

Kush Maini teamed up with Jak Crawford at DAMS Lucas Oil for the 2025 FIA Formula 2 season. At the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix, Maini secured a win in the Sprint Race while Jak won the Feature Race, marking a double triumph for the team. Maini was excited to see the team do well after a slow start to the season.

“Last year was a very tough year for me. We obviously had games and a lot of podiums and some of the competition as well. But that stuff didn't click with my own team. And they're great people and they work really hard. But it just didn't click and sometimes it for many reasons.

"This year, obviously, it started very tough. But I always felt when you come through with a good team and even though we had some issues out of our control, I always knew we were fast. And it's so nice to see them come together as a team. There's a long way to go as well. So I'm excited."

Maini also explained the difference between Formula 1 and Formula 2. “Of course. I think, first of all, it's a massive difference. F1 is a different world. And when I drove the car, it was just unbelievable. Obviously, I'm so grateful I've been able to drive the car four times. But obviously, to reach Formula One, you have to perform in Formula Two. And this year is very important. And I hope the momentum we took from Monaco builds, and we're in a position to be fighting for a seat."

So far, only Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok have competed in Formula 1 for India. When asked about the low number of Indians taking up motorsports, Maini highlighted the significant challenges of becoming a motorsport racer.

“When you start racing, you have to go through go-karting to build your skill. And I was national champion at the age of 11. And then I went to Europe. Being national champion, I went to Europe and did my first race. And I finished 60th out of 70 karts at last. So it's a different world out there. It's so much more competitive. And yeah, you can't even compare it.

"So really, at 12 years old, I had to leave everything in India and live alone in Italy to pursue this dream of mine without any family, new culture, not knowing the language. So that's the biggest thing, I would say, accessibility-wise. For them, it's like a probably one-hour flight or even a 30-minute drive. For us, it's an eight-hour flight. And you leave everything behind. So it's very different in that sense. And that too, at such a young age. And many people can't even simply afford it.”

Maini said that motorsport is an expensive sport, and he even considered quitting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think I'm very lucky. It's come with its challenges as well, though. As you know, racing is very expensive. And when COVID happened, I was thinking about stopping. So I've thought about stopping many times. Something kept pushing further. And I'm grateful I kept pushing because it's starting to pay up.”

Maini also had some inspirational words for youngsters who want to take up motorsport as a career.

“Two things. One, I would say is, you know, four years ago, I was going to stop and stop racing, forget aiming for F1. F1 was like a 0% chance and now I'm so close to it. Life is a long journey and it teaches you a lot of things through lessons. And it's you learning those lessons and using them in the future to build yourself as a person, as a driver. It's a long journey and you need to keep building on it and never give up really. Even though I've thought about giving up, I've always come back and I've always, from my past, I've always taken lessons and applied them to my present and it's helped me through situations.”

“Second is, I would say, leave your ego when you come onto the track. It's one of my issues, which I had when I was younger. I always thought I was the best and I didn't learn as much as I could. And you need to just leave your ego and learn as much as you can from whoever's trying to help you, respect your team and taking as much information as you can,” he concluded.

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