Mahindra Racing swept the Constructors title in the Moto3 class (250cc) at the Italian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (CIV) to create history by wining the final race of the 2013 season, which was concluded at the Mugello Circuit yesterday to win the prestigious title. Last year, Mahindra had won the title in the 125 cc class.
Mahindra Racing riders, Andrea Locatelli and Michael Rinaldi also wrapped up the 2013 season with an incredible 1st and 2nd place finish in the Riders' Championship.
"This historic victory at the CIV marks a new high for Mahindra Racing in its journey towards becoming a global motorsports brand. Winning the Constructors Title for the second year in a row in this highly competitive series is also a remarkable achievement for Indian motorsport and we are very proud to have played our part in making it happen," said Mr. Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group.
"Hearty congratulations to the riders, technicians and support staff of Mahindra Racing. They have demonstrated remarkable team spirit and worked very hard to win the Constructors Title at the CIV Championship, which is among the most competitive in the world. This win motivates us to work even harder during the next year", added Mr. S. P. Shukla, President, Group Strategy and Defence Sector and Chief Brand Officer, Mahindra Group.
Commenting on the win, Mr. Mufaddal Choonia, CEO of Mahindra Racing said, "Last year, we created history by winning the Constructors Title at the Italian National Motorcycle Racing Championship for the very first time. Today, we have won the competition for the second year in a row and are thrilled with our success. This is a significant achievement for Mahindra Racing, considering that our MGP3O bike is still in its first year of development. We hope to continue to do well and rise to greater heights in the seasons to come."
Championship winner Andrea Locatelli said, "We fought all the way through the season and finally we can say we're the Italian Champions! Today's race was all about getting it done, I really didn't want to waste my chances with a silly mistake. I want to thank my family and Team Mahindra Racing. They have done an incredible job and gave me the perfect bike. I hope to keep working with them in the future."
Wrapping up the championship in second place, Michael Ruben Rinaldi said, "What a fantastic race! It's a shame I missed winning the last race by just 0.017 seconds, but I'm happy because I gave my best and rode my Mahindra as hard as I could. I tried to pull away in the early stages but once I saw it was not possible, I tried to keep myself in the mix up front. It's been an amazing season and I would like to thank Mahindra Racing and everyone who has supported me. I would like also to congratulate my team mate for the well-deserved title."
In the 2013 season of Italy's leading national track competition, the team entered the Moto3 (250cc - 4 stroke) class with two very talented riders, Andrea Locatelli (16, from Alzano Lombardo) and Michael Rinaldi (17, from Rimini, Emilia-Romagna). Throughout the championship, the riders pulled off a number of hard-fought podium finishes in 10 gruelling rounds, with some fantastic double podiums and top two finishes.
Demonstrating its expertise on a stage where Italy's best young riders compete, the Indian team led the Constructor's standings with a good margin throughout the season. Both riders demonstrated just why their names are included in the list of Italy's most promising young racing talent. While Andrea Locatelli won the Riders Championship with 167 well earned points, teammate Michael Rinaldi finished the season in second place with 145 points.
Mahindra Racing is one among a handful of entrants, which has chosen to develop its own technology for chassis and engine, while at the same time challenging the might of established racing factories that fill the rest of the grid at the CIV. This win is significant, considering that the MGP3O is still in its first year of development and was assembled for the first time only in January 2013.
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