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-   -   Indian racer Arjun Maini is now Haas F1's development driver (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/intl-motorsport/186800-indian-racer-arjun-maini-now-haas-f1s-development-driver.html)

Haas adds Maini as development driver:thumbs up

A great news for the Motorsports starved nation. One more Indian joins the Formula1 scene.

GP3 racer Arjun Maini has joined Haas as a development driver, the Formula 1 team announced on Thursday morning.

Maini, 19, made his debut in the GP3 category last year with Jenzer Motorsport and placed 10th in the standings, despite missing the opening two rounds.

Maini will continue with Jenzer this year in the championship, which begins at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya alongside Formula 1 and Formula 2 this weekend.

The Indian will attend races and tests with Haas, and also conduct simulator work for the team.

"It's an honour to be a part of Haas' driver development program," Maini said.

"All of my racing to date has been with the focus of becoming a Formula 1 driver, and this opportunity puts me one step closer to my goal.

"I am eager to learn, understand and experience how a Formula 1 team operates. Everything I learn can be used immediately in GP3 while preparing for my ultimate goal of Formula 1."

Haas also confirmed earlier in the week that Santino Ferrucci will continue to act as a development driver.

Courtesy: gpupdate.net
Article Link: http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/3...opment-driver/

News has been confirmed by Karun Chandhok in his Twitter page, who acted as a manager to the young prodigy.

Way to go Arjun. All the best.clap:

Many congratulations to Arjun!!! It is a very good opportunity! Let us hope he manages to get a seat and drive at least a few races this season, if not the full season next year!
clap:

To add to the news, He wont be the only development driver
He will be part of the rostrum with Ferrucci

Team principal Guenther Steiner said his new hire “was successful in karting and has transitioned well to various Formula series and now GP3”.

“As Haas F1 Team continues to mature, we must look toward our future and develop potential talent,” Steiner added.

Ferrucci, 18, joined Haas’s development programme last year. He will continue as the team’s reserve driver and also race in GP3 for DAMS,

“We liked what we saw of him last year in our test at Silverstone and his maturity inside and outside of the car is impressive,” said Steiner. “Santino is a young, American driver with plenty of potential.”

Ferrucci said he “learned a lot last year in GP3 with DAMS and with Haas. The combination of the two allowed me to learn more and at a faster rate. I feel so much more prepared this year.”

Considering the young talent pool including Verstappen and Stroll in Big teams at such young age, this Indian Kid has a lot to learn

Big congrats to Arjun!

It's an awesome opportunity for him. Let's not forget that Haas has a great car (a Ferrari under the skin) and have scored points in the 2016 & 2017 seasons.

P6 for the maiden GP3 race of 2017 season, not bad. He did a good job in qualifying last year as well. Hope he will push harder this year given, he got the media exposure via Hass development driver role.

Well done Arjun Maini, winner in the second race. clap: .I missed the live action. He finished P7 in the race 1 so he had a good shot for the victory in race 2 since it is reverse grid.

This year they got DRS as well, restricted to 6 though. In race 1 he couldn't pull a move using DRS though.

Great stuff this.

I guess F1 needs the much needed new talent. the Old warts have to go. No offence to Massa fans but when I read that he could stay back for 2018, I could only say out loud 'move over..let the new talent come in'. No doubt he has had good races but then, old blood has to give way for new blood.

Maybe its the sponsors that need to know this more than FIA.

Missed this. Many congratulations Arjun!!! clap: May you climb the ladder of success faster than you are expected to!

This is great news for Indian motorsport! Congratulations to the young prodigy, and all the best for a successful career ahead! Always great to see an Indian in F1.

I was talking to someone close to the family. A lot of credit goes to their father Gautam who puts a lot of time ....and money into these boys. They are very focussed and dropped out of school for this. They have no interest in going into their business if things do not turn out.

I hope all this pays off for them!

It will, I hope more sponsors will chip in the future. But there is no hype in the media, I'm actually quite surprised that very few people are talking about his victory, even in Team-bhp, the exposure is quite low. Maybe you can post his achievement on facebook page of Team-bhp. We can do our bit, giving him the exposure he deserves.

He is quite good, not there yet. Don't get me wrong, I'm comparing with the rest of the GP3 field, the best young drivers from around the globe. But he will get there, he got time and he is slowly climbing up the ladder.