# Arjun Maini (अर्जुन मैनी)
**Arjun Maini** (अर्जुन मैनी; born 1997 in [Bangalore](https://www.edgepedia.org/bangalore)) is an Indian racing driver who competes in GT racing, currently as a Ford factory driver with the Haupt Racing Team in the DTM, and who previously raced in single-seaters, becoming the first Indian driver to win a [GP3 Series](https://www.edgepedia.org/gp3-series) race and the first Indian to compete in the DTM.[1](https://www.speedsport-magazine.com/drivers/arjun-maini) • [2](https://race-trace.news/en/fahrer/arjun-maini-en/) • [3](https://desiracingco.in/arjun-maini-interview-dtm-2026/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1997, Bangalore, India[1](https://www.speedsport-magazine.com/drivers/arjun-maini) |
| Firsts | First Indian driver to win a GP3 race (Barcelona, 2017) and first Indian to race in the DTM (2021)[4](https://www.fiaformula2.com/en/latest/article/arjun-maini-returns-to-f2-with-campos-racing.359Uz4SHWd3FioJt71FgcI) • [2](https://race-trace.news/en/fahrer/arjun-maini-en/) |
| Single-seater peak | 9th in the 2017 GP3 Series; 16th in the 2018 FIA Formula 2 Championship with Trident[1](https://www.speedsport-magazine.com/drivers/arjun-maini) |
| Formula 1 role | Haas F1 Team development driver from 2017[5](https://epaper.navhindtimes.in/PageImages/PDF/2017/05/15/15052017-md-ga-12.pdf) |
| Endurance racing | Le Mans 24 Hours debut in 2019, the youngest Indian to feature in the race; full 2019 European Le Mans Series season in LMP2[6](https://au.motorsport.com/dtm/news/maini-mercedes-happy-with-my-potential-but-dtm-results-can-be-better/10386676/) • [4](https://www.fiaformula2.com/en/latest/article/arjun-maini-returns-to-f2-with-campos-racing.359Uz4SHWd3FioJt71FgcI) |
| Current role | Ford factory driver with HRT Ford Performance, racing the Ford Mustang GT3 in the DTM; 2026 is his sixth DTM season[3](https://desiracingco.in/arjun-maini-interview-dtm-2026/) • [7](https://www.sportpresseportal.de/media/uRbrAa/45158/download) |
| Licence grade | FIA Gold, the top professional rank in endurance racing[8](https://racer-db.com/driver/arjun-maini) |
## Early career in India and Formula 4
Maini comes from a racing family in Bangalore; his father Gautam Maini was a hobby driver, and his younger brother Kush Maini also became a professional racing driver.[4](https://www.fiaformula2.com/en/latest/article/arjun-maini-returns-to-f2-with-campos-racing.359Uz4SHWd3FioJt71FgcI) • [9](https://scroll.in/article/865667/video-interview-meet-arjun-and-kush-maini-indias-fast-rising-motorsport-stars) After a six-year karting career with numerous successes, he moved into single-seaters in 2013, winning the Asia Cup Series title and finishing second in the JK Racing India Series that year.[4](https://www.fiaformula2.com/en/latest/article/arjun-maini-returns-to-f2-with-campos-racing.359Uz4SHWd3FioJt71FgcI)
His European debut came in 2014 in the BRDC Formula 4 Championship, where he fought for the title against his teammate [George Russell](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-russell-racing-driver), the future Formula 2 champion, and took the vice-championship.[4](https://www.fiaformula2.com/en/latest/article/arjun-maini-returns-to-f2-with-campos-racing.359Uz4SHWd3FioJt71FgcI) In the 2014-2015 Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand he finished fourth with two wins.[1](https://www.speedsport-magazine.com/drivers/arjun-maini)
## Formula 3, GP3, and Formula 2
Maini spent several seasons in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship, racing for Van Amersfoort Racing and T-Sport, before joining the GP3 Series midway through 2016 with Jenzer Motorsport, finishing tenth that year.[4](https://www.fiaformula2.com/en/latest/article/arjun-maini-returns-to-f2-with-campos-racing.359Uz4SHWd3FioJt71FgcI) • [1](https://www.speedsport-magazine.com/drivers/arjun-maini) In May 2017, three days after joining the [Haas F1 Team](https://www.edgepedia.org/haas-f1-team) as a development driver, he won the Barcelona sprint race from second on the reverse grid, becoming the first Indian driver to win a GP3 race.[5](https://epaper.navhindtimes.in/PageImages/PDF/2017/05/15/15052017-md-ga-12.pdf) He ended the 2017 GP3 season ninth.[1](https://www.speedsport-magazine.com/drivers/arjun-maini)
He stepped up to the [FIA Formula 2 Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/fia-formula-2-championship) in 2018 with Trident, finishing 16th in his rookie year, and continued his Haas development role, which involved simulator work and debriefs.[4](https://www.fiaformula2.com/en/latest/article/arjun-maini-returns-to-f2-with-campos-racing.359Uz4SHWd3FioJt71FgcI) • [10](https://www.fiaformula2.com/en/latest/article/arjun-maini-in-india-motorsport-is-still-growing-a-lot.4GfTIhtkkIdYuk5SXapkss) In 2019 he returned to F2 mid-season with Campos Racing, replacing Dorian Boccolacci alongside [Jack Aitken](https://www.edgepedia.org/jack-aitken), contesting 6 of 22 races.[4](https://www.fiaformula2.com/en/latest/article/arjun-maini-returns-to-f2-with-campos-racing.359Uz4SHWd3FioJt71FgcI) • [1](https://www.speedsport-magazine.com/drivers/arjun-maini) [Karun Chandhok](https://www.edgepedia.org/karun-chandhok), one of India's two Formula 1 drivers, worked as his manager and mentor during this period.[10](https://www.fiaformula2.com/en/latest/article/arjun-maini-in-india-motorsport-is-still-growing-a-lot.4GfTIhtkkIdYuk5SXapkss)
## Endurance racing and Le Mans
Maini switched to sportscar racing in 2019, contesting the full [European Le Mans Series](https://www.edgepedia.org/european-le-mans-series) season in LMP2 with RLR M Sport in an Oreca 07 and making his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut that year, becoming the youngest Indian to feature in the race.[6](https://au.motorsport.com/dtm/news/maini-mercedes-happy-with-my-potential-but-dtm-results-can-be-better/10386676/) • [4](https://www.fiaformula2.com/en/latest/article/arjun-maini-returns-to-f2-with-campos-racing.359Uz4SHWd3FioJt71FgcI) At Le Mans his car was running in the LMP2 top 15 when a mechanical issue forced retirement four hours from the finish.[11](https://www.autocarindia.com/motor-sports-news/dreaming-of-le-mans-in-conversation-with-racing-team-india-419854)
In February 2021 he joined [Narain Karthikeyan](https://www.edgepedia.org/narain-karthikeyan) and Naveen Rao in Racing Team India, the first all-Indian team to compete internationally in endurance racing, entering the 2021 Asian Le Mans Series in an Oreca 07 with technical support from Algarve Pro Racing.[11](https://www.autocarindia.com/motor-sports-news/dreaming-of-le-mans-in-conversation-with-racing-team-india-419854)
## DTM and GT racing
In 2021 Maini became the first Indian driver ever to compete in the DTM, joining GetSpeed Performance in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 and finishing 12th in his first season.[2](https://race-trace.news/en/fahrer/arjun-maini-en/) • [1](https://www.speedsport-magazine.com/drivers/arjun-maini) He has explained that the move came when his hunt for a Formula 1 seat ended: the only way to become a fully professional driver was through a manufacturer, and Mercedes offered him a junior contract along with the DTM seat in his first year.[3](https://desiracingco.in/arjun-maini-interview-dtm-2026/)
He moved to the Haupt Racing Team (HRT) in 2022 and progressed to a full factory contract with Mercedes, with HRT's support a major factor in reaching that professional standing.[3](https://desiracingco.in/arjun-maini-interview-dtm-2026/) His strongest DTM season came in 2024, when he finished seventh overall for Mercedes-AMG Team HRT, with a pole position and two podiums at the [Red Bull Ring](https://www.edgepedia.org/red-bull-ring) described as his best weekend.[1](https://www.speedsport-magazine.com/drivers/arjun-maini) • [3](https://desiracingco.in/arjun-maini-interview-dtm-2026/)
In January 2025 he switched to Ford, becoming a Ford factory driver with HRT Ford Performance in the [Ford Mustang GT3](https://www.edgepedia.org/ford-mustang-gt3), which made him India's only factory driver at the time; he said he moved for the challenge of leading a program with a fresh car after Mercedes' development had been completed years earlier.[3](https://desiracingco.in/arjun-maini-interview-dtm-2026/) His 2025 DTM season ended 15th, and 2026 is his sixth season in the series, run alongside GT World Challenge Europe and [Nürburgring](https://www.edgepedia.org/nurburgring) endurance commitments.[1](https://www.speedsport-magazine.com/drivers/arjun-maini) • [7](https://www.sportpresseportal.de/media/uRbrAa/45158/download)
## Indian representation in motorsport
Formula 1 had featured only two Indian drivers in its first 68 years, Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok, and Maini was explicit that [Formula One](https://www.edgepedia.org/formula-one) remained his ultimate aim during his single-seater years.[10](https://www.fiaformula2.com/en/latest/article/arjun-maini-in-india-motorsport-is-still-growing-a-lot.4GfTIhtkkIdYuk5SXapkss) • [4](https://www.fiaformula2.com/en/latest/article/arjun-maini-returns-to-f2-with-campos-racing.359Uz4SHWd3FioJt71FgcI) Although he did not reach Formula 1, his career across GP3, Formula 2, [Le Mans](https://www.edgepedia.org/le-mans), and the DTM has made him one of India's most successful international racing drivers, and he has spoken about the value of a professional career beyond Formula 1 for young Indian drivers without funding or backing.[12](https://f1.fandom.com/wiki/Arjun_Maini) • [3](https://desiracingco.in/arjun-maini-interview-dtm-2026/)
## References
1. [Arjun Maini, racing driver profile, Speedsport Magazine](https://www.speedsport-magazine.com/drivers/arjun-maini)
2. [Arjun Maini, Race-Trace driver profile](https://race-trace.news/en/fahrer/arjun-maini-en/)
3. [EXCLUSIVE: Arjun Maini On His GT Racing Career Till Now and his Ambitions for the Future, Desi Racing Co](https://desiracingco.in/arjun-maini-interview-dtm-2026/)
4. [Arjun Maini returns to F2 with Campos Racing, FIA Formula 2](https://www.fiaformula2.com/en/latest/article/arjun-maini-returns-to-f2-with-campos-racing.359Uz4SHWd3FioJt71FgcI)
5. [The Navhind Times, 15 May 2017](https://epaper.navhindtimes.in/PageImages/PDF/2017/05/15/15052017-md-ga-12.pdf)
6. [Maini: Mercedes happy with my potential, but DTM results can be better, Motorsport.com](https://au.motorsport.com/dtm/news/maini-mercedes-happy-with-my-potential-but-dtm-results-can-be-better/10386676/)
7. [Presseinformation, HRT Ford Racing in der DTM 2026, Sportpresseportal](https://www.sportpresseportal.de/media/uRbrAa/45158/download)
8. [Arjun Maini, RacerDB profile](https://racer-db.com/driver/arjun-maini)
9. [Video Interview: Meet Arjun and Kush Maini, India's fast-rising motorsport stars, Scroll.in](https://scroll.in/article/865667/video-interview-meet-arjun-and-kush-maini-indias-fast-rising-motorsport-stars)
10. [Arjun Maini: "In India, motorsport is still growing a lot…", FIA Formula 2](https://www.fiaformula2.com/en/latest/article/arjun-maini-in-india-motorsport-is-still-growing-a-lot.4GfTIhtkkIdYuk5SXapkss)
11. [Dreaming of Le Mans: In conversation with Racing Team India, Autocar India](https://www.autocarindia.com/motor-sports-news/dreaming-of-le-mans-in-conversation-with-racing-team-india-419854)
12. [Arjun Maini, Formula 1 Wiki (Fandom)](https://f1.fandom.com/wiki/Arjun_Maini)
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