Moretti, started from pole in the first race of the 125GP Italian Championship, having scorched the tracks during qualifying. As the race went into its second half Moretti’s advantage on the runner-up grew to an amazing ten seconds which he maintained and finished the race with a huge lead over the others on track.
Sarath Kumar, in his first weekend on the Italian track, suffered an unfortunate crash in the wet second qualifying session and was able to start only on the 22nd spot on the grid. Sarath was not able to get a good start, but soon found his rhythm and managed to overtake several riders ahead of him. What wouldn’t we have given to be there and be part of the excitement! Mahindra reports Kumar had a fantastic battle with Luca Marini, Rossi’s half brother. The fun didn’t last long enough, as Kumar had to retire due to a technical problem, with just three laps to go.
Here’s wishing Mahindra Racing Team more podiums, and we will be bringing you the updates as they come.
“When we made our MotoGP debut in 2011, we dreamt of becoming the first Indian company team to win an international motorsport event. Mahindra Racing’s victory is thus, a triumph not only for the Mahindra Group but for Indian Motor sports. Riccardo’s strong showing is testimony to our strengths in the engineering and technology domains and has ensured greater equity for brand India and brand Mahindra across the globe.
The MotoGP platform has also allowed us to showcase our two-wheeler technology and prove our engineering, design and endurance skills, along with the fact that we can compete with the best in the world,” said Mr. Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra Group.
Muffadal Choonia – Team Mahindra Racing Principal : “We feel ecstatic winning the first race of the italian championship which is one of the toughest national motor racing championships in the world. A victory in our debut race is a shot in the arm. We are now in the right frame of mind to vie for the championship title!”
Riccardo Moretti : “We started this season in the best way possible. My start from the grid was a good one and since I was in the lead I tried to push at my best to get the best margin possible. I was able to do so and that allowed me to just manage the advantage in the second part of the race. During the course of the week-end I got to know both bike and time much better and I can say we’re still not at 100% but surely there’s good room for improvements. I would like to thank my team that gave me a very competitive bike and I’m looking forward to the next event, that will take place at Imola.”
Sarath Kumar : “It’s been a very good experience for me, despite the technical problem that didn’t allow me to finish the race. I learned a lot, though. I didn’t get the perfect start but my race pace was not so bad. Next time I will do better, I’m sure.”