Misano Adriatico, Italy 10 September 2017: A sodden and treacherous Misano World Circuit brought the best result of the season for the only Indian constructor in the World Championship, with two riders in the top ten and two more in the points-scoring positions – steadfast survivors in a race of attrition, with no less than 23 crashes.
In fact, the top MGP3O finisher, Saxoprint team rider Jakub Kornfeil, on a Peugeot-badged MGP3O, did slip off on the fifth of 23 laps at the 4.226 km circuit. But the experienced 24-year old Czech racer was able to scramble back on board. He lost 15 places, and then had to forfeit one more, penalised for an illegal overtake. But with a determined recovery ride he forged his way through to a season-best seventh.
One of his last victims was Aspar Mahindra rider Albert Arenas, who finished a close eighth, one of very few riders to experience an incident-free race, and taking full profit after starting from 26th on the grid. It was also the 20-year old Spaniard’s best finish of the year.
The next Mahindra rider in the points was Manuel Pagliani (CIP Mahindra), who missed the top ten by one place, one race after opening his points account two weeks ago, when he finished 15th at Silverstone.
Second Aspar Mahindra rider Lorenzo Dalla Porta also fell and remounted, finishing one lap down but taking a point for 15th.
Hopes were dashed for Marco Bezzecchi. The CIP Mahindra rider was running well up in the points when he slipped off. He remounted, and had moved back into the points when he fell again.
There was heartbreak also for Saxoprint class rookie Patrik Pulkkinen. The 16-year old Finn was set for his first points as he started the last lap in 13th … but he too fell. Unable to restart, he pushed the bike over the line, but was disqualified for being out of time.
The race was won by a huge margin by Romano Fenati (Honda), his second of the season; with championship leader Joan Mir (Honda) a distant and lonely second.
The next race is at Aragon in Spain in two weeks, before the GP circus packs up for the flyaway round in three gruelling consecutive weekends, in Japan, Australia and Malaysia.
Jakub Kornfeil, Peugeot MC Saxoprint
“A really crazy and difficult race. I felt really strong at the start and I made good progress. I could see that the group ahead of me was getting away so I was on the limit at every corner to try and catch them. I did not want to settle just for a top ten. Unfortunately, this resulted in a crash, but I knew I could get back into the points even with the crash. Again, I made good time and my team did a good job of communicating the penalty to me, I could wave the other rider past on the straight and then start racing as normal straight away. I am so happy with this result and so happy for the team.”
Albert Arenas, Aspar Mahindra
“I felt really good even though the race was really long and really difficult, very slippery. I just stayed at my own pace and I remained focused to not make any mistakes. I have to say thanks to the team because after the crash in Warm Up they rebuilt the bike. No laps in the Warm Up but I could see the left corners were really slippery so I was able to be careful in the race. It’s a great result, first top ten for me and first top ten for Mahindra this year. The best result so far. Now it’s time for Aragon and I’m feeling good, let’s fight for some big points in Aragon!”.
Mufaddal Choonia, CEO Mahindra Racing
“Full marks to our Mahindra riders for our best results of the season. Never mind how it happened – we’ll take the points with gratitude. At the same time, this was high-quality riding and top-grade determination, in a race where more than half the field didn’t make it to the chequered flag. We never give up, and that paid out today. Now we look forward to a chance to show the overall strength of our package in dry weather, because we’ve certainly done that in the wet.”
About Mahindra Racing
Mahindra Racing is the only Indian constructor in the Moto3™ class of the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship Series. Competing with the best-of-the-best in the world for six years running, it has seen phenomenal success since its debut in 2011.
Mahindra Racing supplies the Mahindra MGP3O – a single-cylinder, 4-stroke, 250cc motorcycle to the factory Aspar Mahindra Team and other customer teams. Mahindra also supplies an official Peugeot Motocycles derivative of the MGP3O to the factory Peugeot MC Saxoprint Team.
The 2017 Mahindra Racing rider line-up includes:
- Albert Arenas (SPA) and Lorenzo Dalla Porta (ITA) [Aspar Mahindra Moto3]
- Jakub Kornfeil (CZE) and Patrik Pulkkinen (FIN) [Peugeot MC Saxoprint]
- Manuel Pagliani (ITA) and Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) [CIP]
Mahindra Racing made history in the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix taking the first-ever podium for an Indian constructor. In the same season, the MGP3O recorded top-five finishes in 10 of the 17 rounds, a pole position, three circuit lap records, and a third position in the Constructors’ Championship.
The 2014 season saw a further three podium finishes for the Indian constructor, including second place at the German Grand Prix.
In 2015, Mahindra Racing put up a fierce fight at the front of the pack throughout the season, and recorded a podium finish at the French Grand Prix.
2016 got off to a strong start with Aspar Mahindra Moto3 Team rider Francesco (Pecco) Bagnaia securing a third place podium finish at the opening round in Qatar. The Italian teen picked up podiums in Jerez (Spain) and Mugello (Italy) before making his historic first win in Assen (Netherlands) – Mahindra’s maiden victory in the World Championship. It proved the high-level performance capabilities of the MGP3O. Two more victories followed with John Mcphee dominating the field in a wet Czech Grand Prix and Pecco taking a wonderful seven-second win in the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Besides its commitment to the World Championship, Mahindra Racing supplies MGP3O machines to Team Aspar and Team LaGlisse in the World Championship feeder series – the FIM CEV Repsol International Championship (Moto3 Junior World Championship). Grand Prix legend Max Biaggi will spearhead Mahindra's effort in the 2017 Elf CIV – Italian National Championship.
Mahindra’s bold decision to take on the world’s best at the highest level of motorcycle racing has won the team a number of prestigious awards in India, including:
- Mobil1 Motorsport Award | NDTV Car and Bike Awards, 2017, 2013, 2012
- Motosport Award | Autocar India, 2017
- Bikesport Award of the Year | Times Auto Awards, 2017
- Racing Bike of the Year | Zeeignition Auto Awards, 2016
- Motorsport Award | Bike India Magazine, 2013
- Motorsport Award of the Year | ZigWheels Awards, 2012
For further information please visit: www.mahindraracing.com.
About Mahindra
The Mahindra Group focuses on enabling people to rise through solutions that power mobility, drive rural prosperity, enhance urban lifestyles and increase business efficiency.
A USD 19 billion multinational group based in Mumbai, India, Mahindra provides employment opportunities to over 200,000 people in over 100 countries. Mahindra operates in the key industries that drive economic growth, enjoying a leadership position in tractors, utility vehicles, information technology, financial services and vacation ownership. In addition, Mahindra enjoys a strong presence in the agribusiness, aerospace, components, consulting services, defence, energy, industrial equipment, logistics, real estate, retail, steel, commercial vehicles and two wheeler industries.
In 2015, Mahindra & Mahindra was recognized as the Best Company for CSR in India in a study by the Economic Times. In 2014, Mahindra featured on the Forbes Global 2000, a comprehensive listing of the world’s largest, most powerful public companies, as measured by revenue, profit, assets and market value. The Mahindra Group also received the Financial Times ‘Boldness in Business’ Award in the ‘Emerging Markets’ category in 2013.
Visit us at www.mahindra.com.
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For further enquiries
Mr. Darius Lam
General Manager
Group Communications
Mahindra Group
Phone: +91 22 2491 6818
lam.darius@mahindra.com
Mr. Harry Lloyd
Mahindra Racing Moto3™ press officer
HPS Jardine
Phone: +44 1628 450 731
Mobile: +44 7450 624 931
Harry.lloyd@hpsjardine.com
