Regardless of the efforts of many drivers to bypass Maini’s immobilized automobile, it was ultimately hit from the rear by one other racer, inflicting a big collision that resulted in a number of automobiles being overturned.
This incident prompted the speedy deployment of a pink flag to halt the race.
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Remarkably, Maini, together with the opposite drivers instantly concerned within the crash – Pepe Marti from Spain and Oliver Goethe of Danish-German nationality – weren’t injured.
This end result will be attributed to the superior security protocols and measures which were progressively applied in motorsport, making certain the well-being of individuals in such high-risk conditions.
Maini, who’s affiliated with Invicta Racing, had entered the characteristic race with optimistic prospects, having secured a commendable fifth place within the qualifying spherical.
His aspiration to amass factors and get well from a much less rewarding dash race the day earlier than was abruptly curtailed by the crash, culminating in a irritating conclusion to his marketing campaign in Azerbaijan.
In his second yr competing in Formulation 2, Maini can be a part of the Alpine F1 Staff‘s driver academy and is actively pursuing a reserve driver place with Alpine for the 2025 season.
Regardless of a promising onset to the 2024 season, Maini’s efficiency has seen a decline, positioning him 11th within the Driver’s Championship standings.
His teammate, Gabriel Bortoleto, nonetheless, presently leads the championship. Following the interruption attributable to the crash, the race resumed and concluded with Dutch racer Richard Verschoor clinching victory, adopted by Victor Martins and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who accomplished the rostrum.
The rear of Maini’s automobile was extensively broken, however he emerged from the incident unscathed. His father, Gautam Maini, reassured followers and media, stating, “He’s doing okay. As a part of the usual protocol, all medical check-ups had been performed on Kush, and all stories are regular.”
Regardless of his security, the incident had repercussions for Maini. Following an investigation, the stewards penalized him with a 10-second time penalty for inflicting the collision.
In keeping with a Formulation 2 assertion, “The motive force of Automotive 9 had failed to interact the Begin Set Up Process for the beginning of the race, an error that led to the automobile stalling on the grid inflicting the following collision.” As Maini didn’t end the race, the penalty was transformed right into a five-place grid penalty for his subsequent race.
