Indian racer, who started out on PlayStation, wins Formula 2 sprint in Monaco

Khush Maini was beaming with pride as the Indian national anthem was played in Monaco at the end of the Monte Carlo Sprint Race on the weekend.

Maini claimed first place in the Formula 2 race, which was a significant achievement for a young driver from India. The first place in Monaco was his best accomplishment in F2 since debuting in the segment in 2023.

Maini had been placed third in the sprint in Melbourne in 2023, but the top spot had eluded him. "P1, first Indian to win in Monaco too. It’s a great honour and a dream come true," a proud Maini said after the sprint race.

Maini could not replicate his form in the feature race on Sunday but finished an impressive sixth, while his teammate Jak Crawford claimed second place behind Invicta Racing's Leonardo Fornaroli.

Regardless, the four points from the feature race and the 10 from the sprint have given Maini his best return of the season. "As a young kid from India, playing F1 on a PlayStation, I never thought I’d be here and winning in the second tier," Maini could not have put it better.

Earlier this year, the Alpine F1 team added Maini to its pool of Test and Reserve Drivers for the season. F2 is a tier below the F1, the highest class in racing. Sometimes drivers who excel in F2 get promoted.