A full house at the Island Grounds witnessed a motorsport spectacle like no other as the Red Bull Moto Jam, in partnership with Mobil 1, brought together drifting, stunt riding, SUV-on-two-wheels stunts, and freestyle motocross (FMX) in one high-octane showcase.

Taking center stage were Red Bull athletes Abdo Feghali and Aras Gibieza, whose tandem routine — blending drifting and stunt riding — brought the crowd to its feet and the night to a dramatic close.

Motorsport Icons Thrill the Crowd at Red Bull Moto Jam

Drift legend and Guinness World Record holder for the Longest Drift, Abdo Feghali, delivered a flawless performance in his BMW M4. Just a day prior, he led the Mobil 1 Drift Clinic, mentoring some of India’s most promising drift talents and sowing the seeds for the next generation of grassroots motorsport enthusiasts.

“It was my first time in Chennai and the energy from the crowd was unreal! Coaching India’s emerging drift talents at the Mobil 1 Drift Clinic was an amazing experience, and performing in front of such an electric audience made it all the more special. I’m so excited to be part of building the drift culture here.” — Abdo Feghali

Stunt bike virtuoso Aras Gibieza, known for holding the Guinness World Record for the longest no-hands wheelie, returned to India for the 17th time — and declared this visit his most memorable yet.

“I’ve performed in India many times, but this night in Chennai was something else. It’s the spiritual home of Indian motorsport, and every time I come back, I see the passion and the number of fans growing. The energy, the love, the respect — it makes every stunt more meaningful. Huge thanks to everyone who came out tonight!” — Aras Gibieza

The adrenaline didn’t stop there. FMX sensations Sebastian Westberg, Vivian Ganther, and Thomas Wirnsberger took to the skies with gravity-defying jumps and aerial stunts that left the audience gasping and cheering in awe.

Tamil Nadu Strengthens Its Sporting Vision

Dr. Atulya Misra, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Youth Welfare and Sports Development, Government of Tamil Nadu, shared his thoughts on the landmark event:

“Tamil Nadu has made significant efforts to grow a wide range of sports across the state and inspire the next generation of athletes. A showcase like Red Bull Moto Jam highlights how thrilling motorsport can be when done safely, professionally, and in a controlled environment. Hosting an event of this scale reflects our commitment to nurturing sporting excellence and positioning Tamil Nadu as one of the leading destinations for sport in India.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Desi Racing Co. (@desiracingco)

Red Bull Moto Jam has once again proven that India’s motorsport culture is rapidly evolving — and with passionate fans, elite athletes, and visionary support, it’s only getting louder, faster, and bigger.

Desi Racing Co is dedicated to bringing the latest updates and insights from the world of motorsport. Whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2, WEC, MotoGP, Indian motorsports, or other racing series, we’ve got you covered! Stay connected with us for in-depth motorsport coverage. Follow us on Twitter/X, Instagram, and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest motorsport news and updates.

Kush Maini was announced as one of Alpine’s four Reserve and Development drivers for the 2025 season earlier this year. Here’s why we believe Maini is getting closer to securing an official FP1 outing with Alpine during the 2025 Formula 1 season.

Alpine’s 2025 Reserve Drivers

Ahead of the 2025 season, Alpine promoted their then-reserve driver Jack Doohan to a full-time race seat following Esteban Ocon’s departure from the Enstone-based team. To bolster their driver development program, Alpine have signed not one, not two, not three—but four Reserve and Development drivers for 2025: Paul Aron, Ryo Hirakawa, Franco Colapinto, and Kush Maini.

Ryo Hirakawa’s mid-season switch to Haas F1 team

The 2022 FIA World Endurance Champion and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, Ryo Hirakawa, has made a surprise mid-season move, leaving Alpine just three race weekends into the 2025 season. The switch came immediately after the Japanese Grand Prix—Hirakawa’s home race—where he made his official Formula 1 debut in the rookie Free Practice 1 session. On the Monday following the race weekend, the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team announced Hirakawa as their official reserve driver for the remainder of the 2025 season, marking a return to the Toyota family through Haas’ technical partnership.

Welcoming Ryō Hirakawa to MoneyGram Haas F1 Team as our Official Reserve Driver for the 2025 F1 season.

The Japanese driver joins the team following a successful outing at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi last December.#HaasF1 #F1 | @ryohirakawa pic.twitter.com/vFZAUD0eed

— MoneyGram Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) April 7, 2025

Franco Colapinto NOT eligible for a rookie FP1 session

The Argentinian driver made a surprise Formula 1 debut in 2024, replacing the underperforming Logan Sargeant at Williams ahead of the Italian Grand Prix. In just nine races, Colapinto managed to score five points—more than the combined tally of his predecessors over the previous two seasons. His move to Alpine as a reserve driver for 2025 appears to be a strategic one, possibly intended to apply pressure on Jack Doohan in Alpine’s main lineup. However, Colapinto is not eligible for a rookie FP1 session, as per FIA regulations. A rookie is defined as a driver who “may not have participated in more than two F1 World Championship races during their career,” making Colapinto ineligible due to his nine-race stint with Williams.

What about Paul Aron?

The Estonian made an impressive Formula 2 debut in 2024, securing a race win, eight podiums, and even briefly leading the championship. Aron also made his Formula E debut with Envision Racing during the Berlin E-Prix, stepping in for Sébastien Buemi. Toward the end of the 2024 season, Aron became the first of Alpine’s four reserve drivers to be officially signed for 2025.

While he did get his first taste of Formula 1 machinery in the post-season test, completing over 120 laps in the Alpine A524, Aron still lags behind Kush Maini in terms of F1-specific experience. Maini has participated in multiple Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) sessions with Alpine across a variety of circuits, giving him a stronger case when it comes to real-world F1 seat time.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kush Maini (@kushmainiofficial)

So is this the time to shine for Kush Maini?

It’s still early and unclear which direction Alpine will head toward with their rookie FP1 selections for the 2025 season. With Franco Colapinto ruled out of rookie eligibility, Ryo Hirakawa switching to Haas, and Paul Aron still catching up in terms of mileage, Maini emerges as Alpine’s most viable option to fulfill their mandated rookie FP1 slot. If Alpine follows a performance- and preparedness-based approach, Maini’s name should be at the top of their list.

Desi Racing Co is dedicated to bringing the latest updates and insights from the world of motorsport. Whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2, WEC, MotoGP, Indian motorsports, or other racing series, we’ve got you covered! Stay connected with us for in-depth motorsport coverage. Follow us on Twitter/X, Instagram, and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest motorsport news and updates.

The Formula 2 paddock has made its way to Melbourne for the first-ever race weekend of the 2025 season. Melbourne will host a season opener for Formula 2 for the first time ever, although this will be the third time in a row that Albert Park will host Formula 2.

Read more: Kush Maini joins Alpine F1 Team as Test and Reserve Driver.

Third year in Formula 2 for Kush Maini

Kush Maini is entering his third year in Formula 2, with a third different team as well. His first year in Formula 2 was with Campos Racing, where he finished the season in 11th position with 62 points and a podium. In 2024, Kush switched to Invicta Racing, it was also the year where he started his first full season as an Alpine Academy Driver.

He had a strong start to the year, competing at the front in every session before losing momentum after a few races. It all started in Imola where he just didn’t seem to have enough pace, back to back race weekends took him to Monaco with not enough time for the team to understand what went wrong. It was only later that it was figured out that Kush was driving with a cracked chassis. Kush finished the season in 13th position, with 74 points, 5 podiums, a pole and a win.

For 2025, Kush has made a switch to DAMS Lucas Oil, leaving his previous team, which won the team championship in 2024, and his teammate, who won the driver title, moving up to Formula 1. DAMS finished 6th in the team standings last year, with a combined 7 podiums and a win between both their cars.

Rediscovering his confidence with DAMS

In DAMS, Kush is joining an experienced team where he already feels right at home. DAMS have experience of winning championships before, winning the team’s championship in 2019. DAMS have also sent drivers to Formula 1, as Alex Albon and Nicholas Latifi competed with DAMS in their final F2 seasons before making their debut in Formula 1.

“2024 was a year of many ups and downs,” Maini admits. “We had some really good moments, like the Pole and win, lots of podiums but at the end of the day, it didn’t quite click.

“For whatever reason, the second half of the season – not scoring a point, that was a bit confusing for me. I took the decision to move to DAMS, I have a good relationship with Yannick even from previous years.

“That positive feeling is massive. Just having that confidence again and that belief that it can happen, which I feel like I lost a bit midway through 2024. The whole team, my engineer, everyone, we get along really well, and it feels like a very strong team.

“That’s my goal here – to get fully incorporated in the team, spend a lot of time with them to try and understand everything.

“ I might move to a place closer to DAMS, so I can fully give it my all this year. But I’m really excited to be working with them and this new chapter in my career.”

Maini started work with his new team at post-season testing at the Yas Marina Circuit back in December.

He recalls both parties being very honest with each other, wasting as little time as possible in getting up to speed with how the other works, which has helped his adaptation to the team.

“Testing was very strong. When you join a new team, you want to understand how they work but I feel we were all very blunt with each other, which is the best way to operate in this sport.

“If they wanted something better from me, or if I wanted something better from them, we just said it, and there was no hiding.

“I think that really made our relationship strong and it definitely helped during the tests. I found that confidence again as a driver, which I had lost. That’s very important for me so I feel like we’re on the comeback trail, and there’s some great things in store for us in 2025.”

Learnings from 2024

Kush is very honest about his results from 2024, he admits that last year’s downturn in form was difficult to swallow, but that he’s eager to prove it was a blip and not an irreversible slide.

But Maini says it was an important learning experience he’ll be putting to use this season, as he gets another chance he readily admits many might not have been able to.

“I think after the first three rounds last year, fighting for Pole at each round, I got a bit overconfident and just thought that everything would come easy.

“There were some things during the season that were confusing for me, but it’s just one of those things you have to move on from.

“But I’m grateful that I get another chance to show what I can do. Because I really feel like 2024 wasn’t a proper showing of myself. Many people don’t get another chance so I’m just really grateful for everyone involved that I’ve got one.

“I think 2024 threw everything at me. It gave me highs and very big lows, so I don’t think 2025 could take me by surprise. In that sense, mentally, I feel much stronger, and I feel ready for any obstacle.”

While Maini has prided himself on his one-lap speed since joining Formula 2, DAMS have been most impressive on a Sunday, able to coax the best out of the tyres on many occasions, securing victories and podiums from seemingly difficult grid positions.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kush Maini (@kushmainiofficial)

It’s one of the biggest appealing factors for Maini in his joining the team, eager to combine his Qualifying prowess with the team’s ability to maximise their package on race days. It might even be the missing ingredient according to the Indian driver, who hopes to take a step forward in race pace consistency in 2025.

“Even in my rookie year, I was on the front row many times. Last year I was in the first three rounds and for this year, I don’t think that will change. Every team is different, but I feel that DAMS have a more even package.

“It was a big choice, but I feel that’s why DAMS are picking me. I need their help with race pace, and they need my help with Qualifying. Together, I feel we can give each other what we need to build a really strong foundation.

“I feel I have a lot left to show – this year is a good chance for me to work with this team and try to challenge for the title.”

“I have Jak next to me, who’s a very quick driver and a race winner as well, and that’s just going to help our chances further. Together, I think we have a really strong team for 2025.”

Overall, Maini is honest about his previous year in the Championship, but it has only fuelled his motivation for this one.

In a new team, he has a fresh start and is optimistic that he’s in the right environment to not only get the best out of himself but to also help the French outfit find their best form.