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India's Formula 2 driver Kush Maini, who will be driving for Invicta racing, issued a special appeal to all motorsport fans in the country, thanking them for their support.
"Every small message and support coming from a country where racing isn't the top sport matters. Every small view means a lot to me and I want to tell the fans to keep sending positivity to me - we will fight together and reach the top," Maini told FanCode, the official broadcaster for F1 and F2 in India, in a conversation. Maini is in his second campaign in F2 after making the switch from Campos Racing to Invicta Racing after a strong rookie season in 2023 that saw him score his maiden podium in Australia. Maini had scripted history for a while, becoming the first racer to claim the pole in F2 only to later find out that he'd been stripped of the same due to a technical infringement. "It was a rollercoaster day, I was tenths ahead of everyone and it felt good after days of testing and battling a really competitive field. I knew instantly when I crossed the finish line that I'd finished on pole because the car just felt so good," he said, according to a release. Talking about the time when he came to know of the infringement, Maini added, "At first I thought it was some kind of a sick joke but obviously it wasn't. It hurts even more when it's something that doesn't bring any performance benefit to you and something the team had nocontrol over, it happened during the session - almost like a small damage on the car - which pushed the place where you measure - but rules are rules and I respect them. Still, nothing takes away the fact that we were the fastest yesterday and everyone important knows that." Maini will now start at the back of the grid in the feature race, but the Bangalore boy said he will be looking to put up a fight and showcase his race craft, promising an entertaining battle for the fans. Formula 1 recently announced that it has close to 60 million fans in India, and Maini added that having an official broadcaster in FanCode will further add to the thrill. "It's a very proud moment for the country, things are being seriously taken to the next level when it comes to motorsports and you can see where we are now as compared to 5-6 years ago." Maini finished 13th in the sprint race after starting from behind the grid, with a total timing of 42:40.972 and the fastest lap of 1:48:169. (ANI)
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