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Australia

Maini looks for step up after "messy" weekend

Van Amersfoort Racing driver Arjun Maini is looking for a step up in his and the team's performance after issues during the Portimao European F3 weekend.

Arjun Maini, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F312 Volkswagen

Arjun Maini, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F312 Volkswagen

FIA F3 / Suer

Michele Beretta, Mücke Motorsport Dallara Mercedes-Benz and Arjun Maini, Van Amersfoort Racing Dallara Volkswagen and Tatiana Calderón, Carlin Dallara Volkswagen
Arjun Maini, Van Amersfoort Racing Dallara Volkswagen
Arjun Maini, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F312 Volkswagen
Arjun Maini, Van Amersfoort Racing, Dallara F312 Volkswagen
Mahaveer Raghunathan, Motopark, Dallara F312 Volkswagen
Michele Beretta, Mücke Motorsport Dallara Mercedes-Benz and Wing Chung Chang, Fortec Motorsports Dallara Mercedes-Benz and Arjun Maini, Van Amersfoort Racing Dallara Volkswagen and Sam MacLeod, Motopark Dallara Volkswagen and Alexander Albon, Signature Dallara Volkswagen
Mahaveer Raghunathan, Motopark, Dallara F312 Volkswagen
Mahaveer Raghunathan, Motopark Dallara Volkswagen
Arjun Maini, Van Amersfoort Racing Dallara Volkswagen

The Indian driver finished 27th and 25th in the first two races of the weekend after an engine change penalty forced him to start from the back of the grid in the races.

"The weekend started really well after we were third in the opening test but engine troubles then on kept me down for the rest of the tests," Maini told Motorsport.com.

"We decided to change engines since it was no point driving around with a slow engine when the grid is so competitive," he added.

In the third race, Maini, having started 26th, finished 16th in the race which saw him improve lap by lap gradually after having made four places right at the start.

The other Indian, Mahaveer Raghunathan, however, did not start the race.

Needs to perform better

The Indian driver stated that, although he is feeling much better as a driver, he wants to keep on improving and also urged his team to solve the ongoing issues to get good results in the remaining races.

"It's no secret that the whole team have struggled a lot in the last few races and it can be seen clearly with the drop of Charles [Leclerc's] results," Maini said.

"I was happy with my pace during the weekend as I managed to get within two-tenths of [Leclerc] in both of the qualifying sessions.

"Personally I am getting very comfortable with the car now. Yes, I did have messy races, of which many were my fault but again I learned a lot and feel like a better driver each time I get into the car," the Van Amersfoort Racing driver added.

Maini was disappointed with the driving of fellow Indian Raghunathan during the second race of the weekend when both drivers were battling for positions.

"It was a big shame that [Raghunathan] was not able to control his actions on track and was cutting corners just to catch up to me and pass me which held me up a lot initially as his attacks and defences were far from clean and something you would not expect from your countrymen," Maini said.

Overall, the young Indian driver wants to get down to the issues and perform better in his debut in the Masters of F3 in two weeks time. 

"We need to step up with the car now as it was the main reason holding us down and as a team we need to solve these issues as we need to really attack for Masters of F3 up next."

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Edition

Australia