Taking in the culture: Kush Maini’s hometown tour

16 June 2025

DAMS Lucas Oil’s Kush Maini gives us the lowdown on his home city of Bangalore, India and the ideal day for someone visiting for the first time.

From local cuisine to experiencing the unique culture and making the most of your visit, the Alpine Academy driver picks out his must-see locations along with some advice for those seeking a fresh experience on their travels.

“I live in Bangalore, India. I grew up there but left early for racing, but that’s always home. I won’t get to go back now the European season has started but it was nice to spend some time there at the beginning of the year.

“It’s so different to Europe and England that it’s hard to explain. I live on the outskirts of the city but still tons of people because there are a lot of people everywhere along with traffic.

“In terms of a day plan, I’d sleep in a bit and then head out 11 so we miss traffic a bit. I’m a religious guy, so I guy to the Hanuman Ji temple, so we’d go there and then go for some Dosa, it’s a South Indian dish which is quite popular in the South and very, very well made there.

“I’d go to a smaller restaurant because it would give you a more authentic experience and I actually prefer it.

Maini has Hanuman Ji iconography on the back of his helmet design

“For lunch, a nice South-Indian Thali. So we have loads of different vegetables, different curries, rice and roti, whatever you prefer. It’s a staple, so I’d definitely recommend having that.

“Then we could go into the city, it’s very well developed and still going quite quickly. There’s lots of things to do and to look around. Traffic can be an issue still, but it’s a nice city.

“For dinner, I think a home cooked meal would be good, it’s quite different in India compared to many other places. It would be a good way to end the day.

“There’s a lot of good restaurants in the city, some fancy ones, but there’s some roads with shops that are also good to look around.

Maini has had three top 10s in the last four races, including Sprint Race victory in Monaco

“It’s a very interesting culture; it’s changed a lot since I was a kid there. Loads of villages are now big, big towns and cities.

“The great thing about Bangalore is wherever you go, there’s loads of greenery everywhere. That’s why it’s called the ‘Garden City’. There’s always trees and greenery around which is quite nice to be honest.

“I would say the one thing everyone visiting for the first time should do is have an open mind and everyone’s very friendly. Get out of your comfort zone, try different foods.

“Many people who travel there from abroad usually stick to what they know, which is fair enough, but I’d say have an open mind and try the local stuff because it’s a new experience and you learn more about the culture that way.”