Mahindra feels the highs and lows in Australia

Philip Island, 18 October 2015:
Mapfre Team Mahindra rider Pecco Bagnaia had one of the rides of his life in today’s Australian Grand Prix – scything his red Mahindra MGP3O through from a lowly 26th on the grid, and setting the fastest lap of the race as he joined up to play a leading role in a fierce battle at the front.

The Italian teenager put the only Indian machine in the championships in front of a pack of nine riders elsewhere on the scenic 4.448-km seaside circuit, as the cream of the Moto3 crop battled over inches. His fastest lap came on the third of 23 laps, just over two tenths short of a new record.

But misfortune was waiting on the tenth lap. Still at the front of the group, Bagnaia was sent flying after contact with another bike while braking for the tight MG corner.

At the same time, team-mate Jorge Martin was also demonstrating the strength and potential of the MGP3O. The Mapfre rookie was 20th on the grid, but rapidly cut through the jostling pack, joining and moving to the front of the big midfield group chasing the front men.

The Spaniard, last year’s Red Bull Rookie champion, continued his progress, and with five laps left was right up to seventh place.

Again, problems lay ahead. Martin slipped off at a tight corner, but was able to remount and still finish in the points, in 15th place.

With third Mapfre rider Juan Guevara also crashing out, it was eventually a disappointing day for the official team – but with both Bagnaia and Martin underlining the strength and potential of the MGP3O, there were still positive aspects.

Rookie Remy Gardner (CIP Mahindra) was the top finisher on the Indian machine, claiming a career-best tenth at the circuit where his father, double 500 champion Wayne Gardner, won the inaugural race in 1989.

The next race is the Malaysian Grand Prix, in just seven days.

MUFADDAL CHOONIA – CEO, Mahindra Racing
In the end, luck played a bigger part than anything else. Bad luck; and we’re thoroughly disappointed. At one stage Pecco was leading, having the race of his life. He’d come from a miserable starting position to lead, and set the fastest lap, which clearly shows the strength and fight in the rider, as well as the Mahindra machine. Martin did something similar in another good ride going from 20th to seventh before he crashed. But these things can happen in racing, as we saw in a race with a number of accidents