Kush Maini has been appointed as a reserve driver for the Alpine Formula 1 team. The 24-year-old from Bengaluru currently races in Formula 2. Maini joined Alpine’s junior program in October 2023 and will now work alongside Franco Colapinto, Paul Aron, and Ryo Hirakawa as reserve drivers. Formula 1 teams have evolved from having just one reserve driver throughout most of their 75-year history to now maintaining multiple reserve drivers for the season opener in Melbourne on March 16. This promotion marks a significant step for Maini in his pursuit to become the third Indian Formula 1 driver after Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok. He will continue racing for DAMS in Formula2, entering his third season which runs alongside select Formula 1 events. His previous seasons saw him finish 11th and 13th in the drivers’ standings, securing five podiums including a victory in Hungary. \”Since joining the Alpine Academy ahead of last year, I have been incredibly welcomed in the entire Alpine family and I am thankful to Flavio and Oliver for their continued support,\” says Maini.