Kush to drive Formula cars in 2016

Fifteen-year-old Kush Maini will step up into a Formula car this year. Kush, who had a strong season in karting last year — being the first Asian to win the Trofeo Andrea Margutti the highlight — will compete in the SMP Formula 4 championship along with a full campaign in the newly-launched Spanish Formula 4 championship.

Finnish team Koirannen, who are based out of Madrid, Spain, will organise the championships, which will see the youngster compete in 45 races during the course of the season.

Formula 4 is widely considered the second step after karting, on the ladder to Formula One. The SMP series will focus on tracks in the northern Europe, namely Russia, Holland and Finland, while the Spanish Formula 4 series will feature rounds primarily in Spain but will also run a few rounds in Portugal.

This will give Kush exposure on different race circuits, while at the same time help build his experience in Formula cars, a statement from the driver’s staff said.

Asked about his decision, Kush said, “Both the SMP and Spanish Formula 4 championships are one-make championships, which means all the cars will be equal. This gives me a chance to focus on my driving, while at the same time learning about various tracks I have never competed on. I am excited about starting my car racing career and am aiming for a top five finish in both championships.

Said Karun Chandhok, one of only two Indians to have raced in the Formula One, and who played a significant part in helping the teenager decide on his plans for 2016, “The move from karts to cars is always very hard to judge and in the end, we left it to Kush to decide.

“Motorsport is a great way for a young man to mature. I believe that being forced to make these sort of high pressure decisions involving considerable financial investment at such a young age will help him grow in the long run.

“The offer from Koirannen Racing to do a double programme was very interesting because he will end up doing 45 races plus a lot of testing in a single year. It is going to be busy but with the amount of experience he gets, the move to cars will certainly be justifiable.

“Kush is a good racer and it’s going to be exciting to watch his progress this season. A top-five result in the championship is certainly the target and one that is achievable.”