Valencia, Spain, 12 November 2017: Four Mahindra MGP3O machines crossed the line for the last time in today’s Valencia Moto3 GP close together, and within just 1.8 seconds – bowing out with a final close fight among colleagues and team-mates.

The final round of the 2017 Moto3 World Championship also marked Mahindra Racing’s withdrawal from the series. Mahindra is India’s only motorcycle manufacturer competing in a world championship, having entered MotoGP in 2011 to further develop its expertise in two-wheels and increase global brand recognition. The USD 19 billion multinational company, based in Mumbai, soon found success. Within its first year of competition, Mahindra Racing achieved its first pole position, coming at the final round in Valencia as the 125cc two-stroke class came to a close.

The dawn of the four-stroke Moto3 era saw Mahindra Racing as one of only three manufacturers to develop and supply their own chassis and engine in the form of the Mahindra MGP3O. Success came quickly with Miguel Oliveira taking Mahindra Racing’s first pole of the four-stroke Moto3 category at the TT Circuit Assen in 2013, followed by a debut podium at the Malaysian GP the same year.

In 2014 Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder claimed three podiums between them. But Mahindra Racing’s best season came in 2016. Italian Francesco ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia achieved the Mahindra MGP3O’s debut victory in a thrilling race at the legendary TT Circuit Assen for the Mahindra Aspar Team, making Mahindra Racing the first and only Indian manufacturer to win a Grand Prix race. Two more wins would follow, one for John McPhee on the Peugeot in the Czech Republic and a second for Bagnaia in Malaysia – helping the Italian to achieve fourth overall, Mahindra Racing’s highest placing in the Riders’ Championship.

Despite a difficult start to the 2017 campaign, the MGP3O achieved a final podium at the Twin Ring Motegi thanks to Marco Bezzecchi on the CIP Mahindra, a debut podium for the Italian and the CIP team.

Having challenged and beaten the established racing order, Mahindra Racing leaves the Moto3 World Championship with its name in the history books. In just 123 Grand Prix starts, Mahindra Racing achieved three race wins, 14 podium finishes, three pole positions, over 700 Manufacturer points and the still-standing Circuit Record around the Sachsenring.

Mahindra Racing will now focus on its team in the Formula E electric car racing series, in which it recorded a first victory this season. The shift is in line with the Mahindra Group’s ambition to emerge as a global leader in electric mobility solutions. The company is already a leader in electric mobility in India, and is the only Indian company that offers EVs for sale. Earlier in the year Mahindra announced its ‘EV 2.0’ strategy to develop a comprehensive technology and product roadmap, leading to the development of next generation EVs for consumers around the world.