Watch: Indian racer Kush Maini’s Formula 2 Car wrecked in Azerbaijan GP collision

Indian Formula 2 driver Kush Maini faced a challenging situation during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday. Starting from fifth on the grid, Maini’s car failed to start properly, resulting in a hazardous scenario where his stationary vehicle remained on the track as competitors navigated at high speeds to avoid a collision.

Despite numerous efforts by others to avoid Kush Maini’s stuck car, another car ran into it from behind. This caused a huge collision that involved several overturns.

The incident led to an immediate red flag being deployed to halt the race.

The incident that triggered a red flag at the start of the F2 Feature Race

Drivers ok #F2 #AzerbaijanGP pic.twitter.com/VFjNA8M3SQ

— Formula 2 (@Formula2) September 15, 2024

Remarkably, Kush Maini, along with other drivers directly involved in the crash—Spain’s Pepe Marti and Danish-German Oliver Goethe—were not injured.

This outcome highlights the effectiveness of advanced safety protocols and measures in motorsport, which have been progressively implemented to ensure the well-being of participants in high-risk situations.

Maini, affiliated with Invicta Racing, entered the feature race with high hopes after securing a commendable fifth place in the qualifying round.

His hopes of garnering a few points and earning redemption from the miserable sprint race he had the previous day were cruelly dashed on the tarmac, thus ending his campaign here in Azerbaijan frustratingly.

He is also a member of the Alpine F1 Team’s driver academy, and there is active targeting for him to become a reserve driver with Alpine at the start of the 2025 season. This will be his second season in Formula 2.

Despite a promising start to the 2024 season, Maini’s performance has declined significantly, leaving him 11th in the Driver’s Championship standings.

Despite his safety, the incident had repercussions for Maini. Following an investigation, the stewards imposed a 10-second time penalty on him for causing the collision.

According to a Formula 2 statement, “The driver of car 9 had failed to engage the Start Set Up Procedure for the start of the race, an error that led to the car stalling on the grid causing the subsequent collision.” A Maini did not finish the race, the penalty was converted into a five-place grid penalty for his next race.