India's Arjun Maini wins sprint race at Barcelona GP3
What’s the story?
India’s latest motorsports sensation Arjun Maini scored a major triumph in Europe, winning the GP3 sprint race at Barcelona. In doing so, he became the first Indian to secure a win in the GP3 series.
The 19-year-old was able to wrestle away the advantage from Raoul Hyman – the man on pole at the very start and then fought off the challenges of Dorian Boccolacci at the first turn to secure first place in the very first lap. The India teenager kept the lead all throughout the race and eventually sealed his first race win at this level after 17 entertaining laps.
In case you didn’t know...
Arjun Maini was signed by the Haas Formula One Team last week as a development driver starting this year. The teenager was signed alongside 18-year-old Santino Ferrucci and will be part of the American F1 team's testing and development opportunity.
The heart of the matter
The win was, however, not an easy one. Maini was under considerable pressure from Boccolacci. The Frenchman was in touching distance of Maini in the opening laps and also attempted an audacious move on the India on the sixth lap after using his first of four DRS activations the previous lap.
The attack on the first turn of the sixth lap was well guarded by the Indian resisted around the outside of the right-hander. The two then touched wheels going through the left of Turn 2 and this hampered the momentum Boccolacci was building as he quickly exposed to the threat of ART Grand Prix's Anthoine Hubert soon after.
Maini, then raced clear of the pack and was able to claim his maiden by a comfortable six seconds. Maini's Jenzer team-mate Alessio Lorandi finished second with Boccolacci eventually grabbing the last podium place.
Maini, who was the runner-up in the British F4 championship in 2014, is part of a famed Indian racing family, with brother Kush and father Gautam both racers. The youngster was signed by Swiss-based Jenzer Motorsports earlier in 2016.
After finishing in 10th position in his first year in GP3 (despite missing the first four race), Maini seems to have made real progress this year and the win is a testament to that.
What’s next?
The win moves Maini into third place on the table with 21 points, four behind Alessio Lorandi and eight behind leader Nirei Fukuzumi.
Fukuzumi, the Honda Formula 1 junior had earlier won the opening race of the 2017 GP3 season for ART Grand Prix yesterday – a race which saw Maini finish seventh, 14 seconds behind the winner in the 22 lap race.
After Spain, the action moves to the Red Bull Ring, Spielberg in Austria on the 8th and 9th of June.
Author’s take
A fan of four-time world champion Sebastien Vettel, Maini is on the right tracks to follow in the footsteps of his idol. However, this is just the beginning and the road to becoming someone who makes an impact at the highest level viz. F1 is an arduous one. And while we should provide all the support this youngster needs we should refrain from tagging him as the next big thing in F1.