F1: Colapinto has more competition within Alpine

“The BWT Alpine formula team is pleased in Advertise that the Alpine Kush Maini academy pilot will join the group of test pilots and team reserve for the 2025 season. As a test and reserve pilot, Kush functions will consist of offering valuable support to the development and tuning objectives of the team using the Estone pilot simulator, as well as participating in its TPC program aimed at improving the skills behind a contemporary and modern formula car.

With those words, the French team surprised the world of motor racing a few days after the official start of Formula 1.

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Maini, 24 years old and originally from Karnataka, India, joined the young Alpine pilots program in October 2023 and since then has competed in Formula 2, achieving five podiums, including a victory in the Hungaroring circuit.

The young pilot will continue his participation in Formula 2 in 2025 with the DAMS team, whose calendar begins this weekend at the Australian Grand Prix. However, his new role with Alpine will involve it in key activities for the development of the team, including tests with old monoplays under the Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) program, which allows pilots to add experience in Formula 1 cars from 2021 to 2023. He will also work at the Estone factory, collaborating in the driving simulator to contribute to the development of the car.

Maini’s appointment makes him the fourth pilot to occupy this position within the Alpine team, along with Paul Aron, who was third in Formula 2 in 2024, the champion of the World Cup in Resistance Ryo Hirakawa and the Argentine Franco Colapinto, who arrived from Williams at the beginning of this year. This increase in reserve and test pilots template reinforces the strategy of the team to have multiple options for the future.

Kush Maini expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity: “I am delighted to assume the role of test pilot and reserve in Alpine. Since I joined the Academy, they have received me incredible and I am grateful to Flavio and Oliver for their support. I am anxious to accumulate more track time with a formula 1 car and continue to develop, but my priority is still the formula 2 season.

Julian Rouse, director of the Alpine Academy, highlighted Maini’s growth within the program and his performance in Formula 2. “We are very happy to expand the role of Kush to include test and reserve pilot work. He has impressed the team both in his performances in F2 and in the TPC tests, and we hope he will continue to evolve in 2025, ”Rouse said.

During 2024, Maini had the opportunity to try Alpine cars on at least four occasions, including a test in Qatar where his performance was compared directly to Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan.

With his new role, the native of Karnataka joins a group of pilots that Alpine closely follows as possible options in the future for his starting team. The structure of the team has become more flexible, allowing several young talents to acquire experience in Formula 1 and position themselves as viable candidates for a seat in the queen category of motor racing.