Kush Maini impressed in Miami by clinching pole position for the first FIA Formula 2 race at the venue. The championship’s return to Miami, following cancellations in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, led to a highly competitive qualifying session.
Colton Herta set early benchmarks, but Rafael Camara eventually took the lead with a time of 1:40.441, showcasing the intense competition among drivers. Margins remained tight, with the top ten separated by just half a second midway through the session.
Teams opted for new tires before the final run, leading to a crowded track as all 22 cars made their last attempts. Maini’s exceptional performance secured him pole position with a time of 1:39.888, narrowly edging out Camara by 0.033 seconds.
Martinius Stenshorne claimed third place, closely followed by Alexander Dunne in fourth for Rodin Motorsport. The session ended under yellow flags due to Stenshorne’s issue on track, finalizing the grid order.
In addition to the top four, Gabriele Mini and Nico Varrone secured fifth and sixth place, respectively. Joshua Duerksen and Oliver Goethe finished seventh and eighth, with Laurens van Hoepen and Nikola Tsolov rounding out the top ten.
Tsolov’s tenth-place finish grants him the reverse-grid pole position for the Sprint Race, offering a chance to boost his points after a practice setback.
Maini’s pole position marks a significant achievement, his second in Formula 2, setting the stage for the Feature Race as he looks to convert his qualifying success into a strong race performance.
