Mahindra Racing felicitates rider Sarath Kumar for becoming the first Indian to score points in the
Two consecutive wins for Mahindra Racing on Mugello & Imola circuits
Mufaddal Choonia, Chief Operating Officer, Mahindra Racing felicitates rider Sarath Kumar for becoming the first Indian to score points in the Italian Championship
CHENNAI, India, April 23, 2012 – Mahindra Racing, the first Indian team to compete in the Italian Championship, created history when their Indian rider, Sarath Kumar, scored his first points in the competitive Championship during the second round in Imola. The team got off to a spectacular start in its maiden entry in the Italian championship this year with ex-Italian champion, Riccardo Moretti, winning the opening two rounds in the 125 GP class. Kumar finished seventh in the second round for a personal tally of nine points after a technical issue forced him into early retirement in the opening race.
“We are delighted by Sarath’s performance at Imola and are confident that he will only get better. Mahindra Racing sees the Italian championship as an opportunity to nurture and grow rising Indian talent like Sarath. Riding in a championship with such high standards is a great opportunity for him to hone his skills and develop into a world-class rider,” said Mufaddal Choonia, Chief Operating Officer, Mahindra Racing, at a special ceremony in Chennai to felicitate Sarath for his achievement.
“This is a moment of great pride for me as the Italian Championship is one of the most competitive breeding grounds for emerging talent on the racing circuit. I would like to express my gratitude to the Mahindra Group for all their support and encouragement and I look forward to delivering a strong performance in future races,” said Sarath.
Round 3 of the eight-round Italian championship with Mahindra Racing on top will be held at the Monza circuit on April 29, 2012.
The Italian Road-Racing Championship is the leading national track competition in Italy and a launch pad for Italy’s best young motorcyclists as they head towards the international arena. It is staged on the country’s best race tracks from March to October over six weekends and 8 rounds. The event is organized by FMI- Federazione Motociclistica Italiana and CIV -Campionato Italiano Velocità.
In the past, world-class riders like Valentino Rossi, Giacomo Agostini and Marco Melandri, amongst others have been Italian Championship winners.
About Mahindra Racing
Mahindra Racing is the first Indian team to participate in the FIM MotoGP World Motorcycle Racing Championship (in 2011) and the Italian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (CIV, in 2012).
At the World stage, the Indian factory team signed off its 2011 debut season on a high note with action packed performances by both its riders. Rider Marcel Schrötter finished 15th overall in the 125cc Rider's Championship and the team finished a strong third overall in the Constructor's Championship. That same year, its other rider Danny Webb made history when he secured pole pole position in Valencia in the last race of the 125cc era. The team takes this learning into its participation in the all new Moto3 class which replaced the 125cc class from the 2012 season onwards.
In the CIV in Italy, the team has teamed up Indian rider Sarath Kumar with ex Italian Champion, Riccardo Moretti in the 125 GP Class. Once again the team did India proud when it became the first team from India to win an International Motorsport event when Riccardo won the season opening race of the CIV in Mugello, Italy on March 25, 2012. Riccardo followed it up with another brilliant victory on the Imola circuit on April 8, 2012 to put himself and his team firmly up on the charts.
About the Mahindra Group
The Mahindra Group focuses on enabling people to rise. Mahindra operates in the key industries that drive economic growth, enjoying a leadership position in tractors, utility vehicles, information technology and vacation ownership. Mahindra has a presence in the automotive industry, agribusiness, aerospace, components, consulting services, defence, energy, financial services, industrial equipment, logistics, real estate, retail, steel and two wheelers.
A US $14.4 billion multinational group based in Mumbai, India, Mahindra employs more than 144,000 people in over 100 countries.
In 2011, Mahindra featured on the Forbes Global 2000 list, a listing of the biggest and most powerful listed companies in the world. Dun & Bradstreet also ranked Mahindra at No. 1 in the automobile sector in its list of India’s Top 500 Companies. In 2010, Mahindra featured in the Credit Suisse Great Brands of Tomorrow.
In 2011, Mahindra acquired a majority stake in Korea’s SsangYong Motor Company.
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For further enquiries please contact:
Ms. Roma Balwani
Senior VP & Group Head - Corporate Communication
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd
Phone: (+91-22) 24901441
Email: balwani.roma@mahindra.com