Motorsport: Maini takes pole, Smith wants start

Arjun Maini lines up at the front of the grid for his first NZ Grand Prix today. Photo / Bruce Jenkins

A 17-year-old sits on pole for his first New Zealand Grand Prix today, while a 72-year-old is trying to put together a last-minute deal to get on to the grid for his 48th start.

Indian driver Arjun Maini has been one of the finds of the 2015 Toyota Racing Series and put in a scintillating qualifying lap to post a time well under the existing record.

"I'm happy with pole for the Grand Prix," said Maini, who finished second behind Frenchman Brandon Maisano in race one. "We're going to have to figure out a different race plan for the Grand Prix [35 laps instead of the usual 20] and make sure the car finishes.

"I'll try to get a good start and stay out front but anything can happen, as we've seen so far in the series. Whatever happens, I'll be trying to do my best."

Supervet Kenny Smith is just trying to get to the startline. He's raced competitively for 56 consecutive years and has gone wheel-to-wheel with the best in the world, including Bruce McLaren, Graham Hill, Stirling Moss, Denny Hulme, Jackie Stewart and Chris Amon. Smith won the first of his three New Zealand Grand Prix titles in 1976, backed up with another in 1990 and more recently in 2004.

He's as keen as a child at Christmas to get his hands on the test FT50 car and line up with the rest of field to edge closer to 50 career NZGP starts.

"We're still trying to get something sorted and will keep trying right up until 10 minutes from the start of the race [3.40pm]," Smith said. "From what I can remember last year at the end-of-season dinner, when Barry [Tomlinson, category manager] introduced the new car, he said the first car in reserve would be for Ken Smith.

"However, I understand they have a lot of pressure to get the car ready, and look after all the other cars, but I would love to be in it. We'll keep trying right up to the last minute. I don't need any practice as I know my way around the track [he's racing F5000 this weekend] and we'll just have to see what happens."

Over the years, Smith has mentored many of New Zealand's top drivers including Scott Dixon, Brendon Hartley and Shane Van Gisbergen. He knows a good one when he sees one and his pick of the current bunch of international drivers racing here is Maini.

"That boy has a lot of talent and, if he gets into the right F3 team and does well, he'll look like Formula 1 material. I've got to know him quite well and I don't need to give him any tips for the Grand Prix.

"He's the kind of guy who can work a circuit out pretty quickly on his own. If he wants some advice, I'll be happy to help but he picks things up fast."

The best of the Kiwis in yesterday's race was James Munro in ninth with the Leitch brothers Damon and Brendon in 12th and 13th and Jamie Conroy in 18th.