FIGHTING FINISH FOR MAHINDRA'S POPOV AFTER TIGHT FIRST CORNER CATCHES WEBB

Sunday, 16 September, 2012: Bad luck continued to plague the Mahindra Moto3™ team at Misano today, when top rider Danny Webb's hopes of finishing in the points were dashed by a crash on the very first bend.

The 21-year-old Englishman became the latest of many victims of the Misano circuit's very tight first corner, when he was squeezed and pushed on corner entry, in a high-speed traffic jam. He was unable to avoid a crash that involved three other riders.

But replacement rider Miroslav Popov restored some cheer to the Mahindra garage in only his second race on the white-and-red MGP-30, pulling through from 33rd on the grid to finish 19th, holding his place in the middle of a tight group of three more experienced GP riders.

The 17-year-old from the Czech Republic, riding in place of injured team regular Riccardo Moretti, is a grand prix novice, and a novice also on the 250cc four-stroke Moto3 machine, in the first year of the category.

Mahindra is one of a tiny handful of entrants using its own chassis and engine, developing new technology at the same time as challenging the might of the established racing factories that fill the rest of the grid. It is the first and still the only Indian team in motorcycle grand prix racing.

The race, round 23 laps of the 4.226-km circuit, was won by title leader Sandro Cortese.

MIROSLAV POPOV - 19th Position
As seems normal for me, I got a bad start and was at the back. I managed to chase the group in front of me, and I had a good fight with them that lasted the whole race. I had some difficulty changing gear later in the race which made it more difficult, so I am quite pleased I could carry on the battle.

DANNY WEBB - Did Not Finish
That was really frustrating - all the effort and the race lasted only a couple of hundred metres. I was in the back half of the grid and the first corners are really tight, and as everyone funnelled in I was blocked and had nowhere to go. I crashed, and unfortunately three other riders also went down ... that's how crowded it gets. Better luck next time.

MUFADDAL CHOONIA, Mahindra Racing CEO
It was a shame that Danny was caught out so early in the race as he was having a reasonably good weekend. But the first turn is tight and the Moto3 grid is big so it was always going to be interesting. I am happy about Miro's ride. He had a respectable race in which many other riders crashed.