STRONG FINISH FOR MAHINDRA RIDER WEBB AT HOT SEPANG

Sunday, 23 October, 2011: Mahindra rider Danny Webb gained two positions on the final lap to finish 13th in the sweltering heat of the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang. Team–mate Marcel Schrotter was battling to get into the top ten when he high–sided out of the final corner on lap six.

Webb held his ground until lap six, when he gained one position and another a lap later. Then came a protracted battle that saw the 20–year–old Englishman going back and forth with Alexis Masbou and several others contesting 12th.

On the penultimate tour of the 5.548k circuit, Webb dropped back to 15th before a heroic final lap shot him up to 13th and three valuable championship points. The points solidified third in the Constructors Championship for Mahindra, the only machine on the 125 grid with both engine and chassis made by the team. Mahindra now has a 16 point lead with only one race remaining.

Schrotter, the 18–year–old German, started strongly by moving quickly into 11th place and inserting himself into the battle for eighth place in the 29–rider field. Schrotter was a close 12th at the end of the sixth lap when the rear of his Mahindra let go, sending him into the air. He was unhurt, but unhappy after a rare race crash. It also denied him a chance to cement his championship position. He remains tied in 15th.

“We made a big step at the last race in Australia, so I’m slightly disappointed with the result, but I think Danny really pulled it off on the last lap,” said Team Principal Mufaddal Choonia. “He gained two positions from where he was at the beginning of the lap. So 13th position is OK, but we are aiming to be hitting the top ten at the end of our first season’s racing.”

The final round of the championship is the Valencia GP in Spain in two weeks.

DANNY WEBB – 13th Position
“I think the result in the end wasn’t so bad. I got an OK start, but on the first lap I wasn’t aggressive enough and then I was on the back of (Danny) Kent’s group and I had a big slide and nearly crashed and lost the slipstream. I suspected we were going to struggle in the race, it’s a fast lap and difficult conditions. I wasn’t really expecting a great finish and so I have to be satisfied with the result. I hope we can get a really good result to finish the season in Valencia.”

MARCEL SCHROTTER – DNF
“The race was not so bad. I got a good start, good first few laps. And then I was just right behind the group fighting for seventh position and I was just closing up a little bit and then at the exit to the last corner, I had a big slide and a high–side, but without any warning. Really a shame, because we were well ahead of the next riders and so there was a great chance to pick up some good points. To have had a top ten finish in these conditions would have been very, very good. I’ll try again in Valencia.”