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RIP Allan Simonsen
23 June 2013: Danish race driver Allan Simonsen died after crashing his Austin Martin in the opening stages of Le Mans 24 hrs classic race at La Sarthe circuit on Saturday. We at INDIA in F1 deeply mourn the death of a talented driver who began as a mechanic but became one of the best drivers being on the podium in many parts of the world.
His death brings into focus once again the importance of safety in motorsports. At this time our prayers are with his one-year old son and his partner Corina.
FIA condolence Statement: By Jean Todt, FIA President and Pierre Fillon, ACO President
We wish to express our profound sadness regarding the death of Allan Simonsen at today’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. We would like to convey our deepest and heartfelt sympathies to Allan`s family and friends. Our thoughts are also with his Aston Martin teammates at this difficult time.
Allan was an extremely talented and experienced sportscar driver who had raced in every corner of the world and was highly respected by his peers and his team. For many in endurance racing, Allan was above all a good friend who displayed his passion for racing on and off the track.His loss will be felt by the FIA, the ACO and the greater motorsport family.Jean Todt, FIA President and Pierre Fillon, ACO PresidentHere are a few tributes by the racing fraternity.
Narain Karthikeyan @narainracing1h : We all think racing is too safe nowadays until something like this shakes us back to reality.. #RIP Allan Simonsen #LM24@KarunChandhok: Morning ! First of all, my sincere condolences to Allan Simonsen’s family and everyone at Aston Martin Racing… Terrible to see that happen
Paul Di Resta: “Sad news at Le Mans, RIP Allan Simonsen. Thoughts are with his family and friends.”
Force India: Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and team of Allan Simonsen. Really sad news from Le Mans earlier today.
Jenson Button tweeted: “Allan Simonsen R.I.P. such a tragic loss. A true fighter abd a true racer. Safety is something we need to improve on in motorsport.”
Kimi Raikkonen: “R.I.P. Allan Simonsen. Sad news.”
Sergio Perez: “Thoughts & prayers with Allan Simonsen’ family and @AMR_Official team.”Que lastima!! La dura vida de piloto , Murio haciendo lo que quería.”
Felipe Massa: “Such a tragic news on the passing of @AllanSimonsen . Sad day in motorsport. Thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
Jaime Alguersuari: “Rest in peace Allan Simonsen.”
ends
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Ogier-Ingrassia dominate Rally Sardinia for 5th WRC win
Sardinia, 22 June 2013: Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) won the rally in Sardinia in their Polo R WRC with a lead of 1m 16.8s over their closest competitor, Thierry Neuville (Ford).
At the halfway point of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Volkswagen dominates the proceedings with its fifth win in seven rallies. The Volkswagen team has also comfortably extended its lead in this, the most prestigious motorsport world championship after Formula 1.
The two Frenchmen have therefore extended their lead in the driver/co-driver rankings to 64 points. Their Volkswagen team colleagues Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) demonstrated an impressive final spurt to likewise make it onto the podium, finishing in third place, in spite of having dropped back to twelfth place due to a flat tyre during the first stage. This puts the two Finns in second place in the driver/co-driver world championship rankings. They also played a major part in enabling Volkswagen’s 315 hp four-wheel drives to further extend the car make’s lead in the Manufacturers’ Championship.
Andreas Mikkelsen, who celebrated his 24th birthday on theSaturday of the rally in Sardinia, again missed out on a good result together with his co-driver Mikko Markkula (N/FIN) – on the third from last stage of the rally, they were instructed by the team to take all available risks in order to secure fourth place overall, but a slip-up then cost them this ranking. Mikkelsen/Markkula veered off the track on a slow corner and caused only light damage to the suspension – but then had to retire from the rally early.
Volkswagen put on a strong team performance in the seventh of 13 events in the WRC season, in front of Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, the member of the Board of Management for the Volkswagen brand who is responsible for development. “It was a great success for the whole of the team and being there to see it was a fantastic experience,” said Dr Hackenberg. “This was actually my last rally as the head of development at Volkswagen, but I will no doubt visit a few more rallies some time. I have put a lot of heart and soul into this project and that doesn’t simply evaporate when you move to pastures new.”
The driver factor: outstanding performances from Ogier and Latvala
13 fastest times in 16 special stages, seven of which were scored by Sébastien Ogier and six by Jari-Matti Latvala – once again, Volkswagen was able to put its faith in strong drivers in Rally Italy. One of them was in the lead right from the start, while the other one compellingly continued to gain ground – Ogier and Latvala acclimatised perfectly to the tough conditions in Sardinia. Consistency and speed were also the order of the day, with the overall leader Ogier dominating the front position in the WRC pack from the very first stage on Friday and refusing to forfeit it all the way to the finishing line on Saturday. The key to the 29-year-old Frenchman’s fourth win of the season was his clever driving style that went easy on his tyres, which placed him among the top three drivers no less than 14 times in the 16 special stages. His team colleague Jari-Matti Latvala was absolutely on a par with him, himself achieving 14 recorded times that were among the top three. Incidentally, even with his damaged tyre, which cost him 1m 56.4s, Latvala was still only 1m 48.0s behind Ogier after driving 304.50 timed kilometres.
Unfailing teamwork: mechanics a huge support to Ogier, Latvala and Mikkelsen
With just two days of rallying in Sardinia, making this the most compact WRC event of the year, the whole team needed to put in a good performance. The Volkswagen team provided the three pairs of drivers with major support during the rally’s six services, with their meticulous and reliable work meaning that Ogier, Latvala und Mikkelsen were working with the perfect materials at all times. On the Saturday, Sébastien Ogier’s mechanics sent the Polo R WRC out on the final four special stages with a subframe that had been replaced just to be on the safe side together with power steering. This involved some incredible work, with two mechanics replacing the component in just eight minutes.
Intense heat: challenging conditions in Sardinia
Rally Italy once again made huge demands of the drivers, with the extreme temperatures on the one hand and very narrow tracks lined with natural rocks on the other. A combination of gravel and a loose layer of sand on top made the first time of driving the eight special stages, each of which was driven twice, a highly slippery affair. These conditions meant the drivers had to use all their concentration and skills to use their tyres wisely. Even the slightest of errors could have brought things to an end for a driver at any time or could have cost them some precious time.
The Power Stage advantage: bonus points for Volkswagen drivers
For the fifth time out of six occasions so far, ‘Mr Power Stage’ Sébastien Ogier and Volkswagen achieved the fastest time in the Power Stage, during which bonus points are awarded to the top three drivers. His team colleague Jari-Matti Latvala likewise picked up some bonus points by finishing third in the 22.25-kilometre stage. This means a unique run of success for Volkswagen continues, with the brand having achieved all of the fastest times in the Power Stages contested in 2013.
Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championships: Ogier, Ingrassia and Volkswagen in the lead
Volkswagen picked up a maximum amount of points in Sardinia, while the current overall leader Sébastien Ogier extended his lead in the drivers’ rankings, with his co-driver Julien Ingrassia doing the same in the corresponding co-driver rankings. The pair now have a lead of 64 points over their team colleagues Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila, who are ranked second. Volkswagen is also at the top of the Manufacturers’ Championship thanks to its two strong duos and was able to extend its lead over the defending champions Citroën to 46 points as a result of Rally Italy.
Statements, day 2, Rally Italy
Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #7
“Third place is a fantastic result overall – but we could have done better. The flat tyre in the first stage was nobody’s fault but our own – we should have been more observant during the recce and should have had that spot of the track in our pace notes. Losing two minutes as a result was disappointing at first. But on the other hand, it also gave us the opportunity to attack without any pressure and to challenge our competitors. Our speed was very good throughout the rally, and that’s what allowed us to grapple our way back up from twelfth to third place. The team played a big part in that too, so thanks for that, guys. I really felt at home in the Polo R WRC and will tackle my home rally in Finland filled with confidence.”Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #8
“It feels fantastic to be back on top of the podium again! I was really beginning to miss that feeling after the last two rallies. I’m simply delighted – the team did a fantastic job and the Polo ran like a dream all weekend. We now have a very comfortable lead in the Drivers’ Championship rankings. The rally was incredibly demanding physically, due to the high temperatures, and it sometimes got as hot as 45 degrees in the cockpit. On the second day in particular, you came close to your limits and you easily lost three to four litres of fluid. So I’d like to say a big ‘thank you’ to our team members who look after us and to the physiotherapy team, who did a great job of taking care of us. The heat really takes it out on the tyres and the car too. My tyre-friendly driving style was no doubt one of the reasons for my victory. I was especially pleased to once again win the Power Stage. I had a tough fight on my hands there with Thierry Neuville, who was incredibly fast during that stage, as he was throughout the rally.”Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
“I’m extremely disappointed, of course, because we got off to a very good start in Rally Italy and I think we put in a good performance. That is, until our slip-up today. We wanted to go in for the kill and clinch fourth place. In the afternoon session, I had already made good eight seconds on Dani Sordo in the first of the four remaining stages. I only needed around twelve more seconds to pass him, so we went for broke in the following stage too. But then I braked too late on a slow corner and we slid and hit a tree stump, which tore off our tie rod. So that was the end of that. I had hoped for a slightly different outcome on my birthday. But I think we were again able to gain a lot of important experience during this rally.”Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
“What more could we ask for? Rally Italy was a resounding success for Volkswagen and marks another milestone in our first season in the World Rally Championship. If somebody had said ahead of the season that we would be leading in all three championship categories and that we would win five out of the seven events in the first half of the season, we most certainly wouldn’t have believed them. Sébastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala delivered nothing but top performances here in Italy. The same goes for Andreas Mikkelsen too, even though he had to retire just before the end of the rally. He was endeavouring to turn our instructions into deeds by going all out to take fourth place, and had a bit of bad luck in the process. But that certainly doesn’t remotely detract from his achievements as far as the team is concerned. I am proud of all three drivers. They have really earned their summer break. All the same, we are already looking forward to the next rally in Finland at the end of July.”
And then there was …
… the dual role of ‘FX’. Volkswagen’s Technical Project Manager for the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), François-Xavier Demaison – or ‘FX’ for short –, not only has overall technical responsibility for all three of the Polo R WRC vehicles; he is also acting as the vehicle engineer for Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila in Italy. Fabrice van Ertvelde, who has worked with the Finnish pair in the rallies already gone and who will also be working with them during the six WRC rallies still to come, had a very good reason not to be there in Italy: he and his girlfriend are expecting the birth of their child this weekend. Van Ertvelde is a veritable old hand at Volkswagen: he was the engineer for Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz during Volkswagen’s very first win in the Dakar Rally back in 2009.
FIA World Rally Championship (WRC).
Rally Italy – resultsFriday.
21 June 2013km #7
Latvala/
Anttila#8
Ogier/
Ingrassia#9
Mikkelsen/
MarkkulaSS 01 Monte Lerno 1 31.08 P12
(+ 1m 56.4s)P01 P07
(+ 29.5s)SS 02 Castelsardo 1 14.00 P01 P02
(+ 2.2s)P07
(+ 14.0s)SS 03 Tergu–Osilo 1 14.93 P02
(+ 0.3s)P01 P07
(+ 14.4s)SS 04 Castelsardo 2 14.00 P04
(+ 2.2s)P02
(+ 1.4s)P05
(+ 4.3s)SS 05 Tergu–Osilo 2 14.93 P03
(+ 1.4s)P02
(+ 0.2s)P06
(+ 8.4s)SS 06 Monte Lerno 2 31.08 P02
(+ 4.3s)P01 P07
(+ 21.0s)SS 07 Gallura 1 13.55 P01 P02
(+ 10.9s)P07
(+ 18.8s)SS 08 Gallura 2 13.55 P01 P03
(+ 5.9s)P06
(+ 25.6s)Overall classification P05
(+ 1m 44.0s)P01 P06
(+ 1m 55.4s)Saturday.
22 June 2013km #7
Latvala/
Anttila#8
Ogier/
Ingrassia#9
Mikkelsen/
MarkkulaSS 09 Monte Olia 1 19.27 P03
(+ 5.4s)P04
(+ 6.1s)P05
(+ 18.3s)SS 10 Terranova 1 14.82 P03
(+ 3.3s)P01 P05
(+ 7.2s)SS 11 Monti di Alà 1 22.25 P02
(+ 6.5s)P01 P04
(+ 13.7s)SS 12 Coiluna–
Loelle 122.35 P01 P02
(+ 2.1s)P03
(+ 5.7s)SS 13 Monte Olia 2 19.27 P01 P04
(+ 2.9s)P02
(+ 0.2s)SS 14 Terranova 2 14.82 P03
(+ 1.4s)P01 DNF SS 15 Monti di Alà 2 22.25 P03
(+ 4.5s)P01 SS 16 Coiluna–
Loelle 222.35 P01 P03
(+ 6.4s)Overall classification P03
(+ 1m 48.0s)P01 DNF
FIA World Rally Championship (WRC),
Rally Italy – final result1 Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen 3h 22m 57.9s 2 Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B), Ford + 1m 16.8s 3 Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), Volkswagen + 1m 48.0s 4 Daniel Sordo/Carlos del Barrio (E/E), Citroën + 3m 19.2s 5 Martin Prokop/Michal Ernst (CZ/CZ), Ford + 8m 34.1s 6 Elfyn Evans/Giovanni Bernacchini (GB/I), Ford + 11m 51.8s 7 Michal Kościuszko/Maciej Szczepaniak (PL/PL), Ford + 11m 52.7s 8 Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson (N/S), Ford + 13m 21.5s 9 Robert Kubica/Maciek Baran (PL/PL), Citroën + 16m 47.6s 10 Khalid Al Qassimi/Martin Scott (UAE/GB), Citroën + 17m 19.9s
FIA World Rally Championship (WRC),
Rally Italy – result power stage1 Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen 13m 03.6s 2 Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B), Ford + 1.0s 3 Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), Volkswagen + 4.5s
FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), points standings
Drivers’ classificationPoints 1 Sébastien Ogier 154 2 Jari-Matti Latvala 90 3 Thierry Neuville 70 4 Sébastien Loeb 68 5 Mikko Hirvonen 61 6 Daniel Sordo 59 7 Mads Østberg 50 8 Martin Prokop 37 9 Evgeny Novikov 31 10 Nasser Al-Attiyah 30 11 Andreas Mikkelsen 25 Manufacturers classification Points 1 Volkswagen Motorsport 220 2 Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT 174 3 Qatar WRT 89 4 Qatar M-Sport WRT 89 5 Jipocar Czech National Team 39 6 Abu Dhabi Citroën Total WRT 33 7 Volkswagen Motorsport II 26 8 Lotos WRC Team 20 -
Mercedes F1 team banned from Young Drivers’ test
Brackley, 21 June 2013: Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team was reprimanded and banned by the International Tribunal of FIA, the world governing body of the sport to participate in the Young Drivers’ test to be held in July.
Statement from Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team
The MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team acknowledges and accepts the Decision of the FIA International Tribunal published on Friday.
The Decision of the International Tribunal confirmed that the team acted in good faith regarding the Pirelli Tests, never intended to obtain any unfair sporting advantage and had no reason to believe that approval for the Pirelli Tests had not been given.
Mercedes accepts the proportionate penalties of a reprimand and suspension from the forthcoming Young Driver Test that have been decided upon by the Tribunal.
Mercedes would like to once again restate its firm belief in proper due process and commend the FIA for the principle of an independent disciplinary body.
The team would furthermore like to thank the International Tribunal and its President for the fair hearing it received yesterday.
In the best interests of the sport, the team does not intend to avail itself of any right to appeal the Decision.
Mercedes looks forward to working with the FIA and its fellow competitors to establish a more rigorous procedure for testing in the future, particularly to support the appointed tyre supplier.
We now wish to bring this matter to a close and focus on the forthcoming British and German Grands Prix, both of which are important home races for the team.
Statement by FIA
The FIA duly notes the decision handed down today by the FIA International Tribunal against Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team and Pirelli Tyres.
This decision follows (i) the disciplinary proceedings instigated by the FIA, on the basis in particular of the report by the Stewards of the Monaco Grand Prix, forwarded to the FIA following the two protests made by Scuderia Ferrari Team and Red Bull Racing respectively, and (ii) the hearing that took place yesterday before the International Tribunal with the participation of all the parties concerned.
The FIA wishes that lessons are learnt from this case and from the decision handed down. To this end, the FIA will make sure, in association with all F1 teams, that its control of the testings is strengthened.
It is recalled that the notification of the FIA International Tribunal’s decision opens to each of the parties concerned the possibility of bringing an appeal against this decision before the FIA International Court of Appeal within 7 days.
ends
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Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila fastest
A perfect start: Volkswagen has got itself into an excellent position for Rally Italy. In the qualifying session for the seventh event of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) season, the three pairs of Volkswagen drivers all earned themselves the right to choose a good starting position in the start of the rally on Friday. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), who recently scored a victory in Rally Greece, achieved the fastest time in the qualifying session and elected to start the rally last, in 13th place. The current overall leaders Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) recorded the third best time and chose to start the rally from position eleven. Their team colleagues Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (N/FIN) qualified in eighth place and will compete from position six on Friday.
The starting positions in the field of World Rally Cars are a key success factor in Rally Italy in Sardinia. A layer of sand on top of the gravel means that the driving conditions will be slippery at the start of the special stages. But once this sand has been ‘swept away’, the vehicles’ grip improves tremendously. Volkswagen is now in an excellent position in Rally Italy, thanks to the results of the qualifying session and the driver pairs’ starting position choices.
Statements, Rally Italy qualification
Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #7
“I’m obviously very happy with having achieved the fastest time, which gives us a great position to start from. I had a good feeling about the qualifying session, having already tried out the soft tyres in the morning. Choosing to start as the last World Rally Car in our Polo R WRC wasn’t remotely difficult, considering the hot and dry weather conditions. Tomorrow, we will have to try to always stay on the clean part of the course. The tracks are very narrow and there are lots of large rocks and boulders scattered along the sides. We still have our sights set on making it onto the winners’ rostrum – but we’ll have to see how things shape up in the rally, because this is a very tough one for the drivers and co-drivers, as well as for the vehicles and tyres.”Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #8
“I’m pretty happy with the qualifying session. I had aimed to finish among the top three, and I managed to do this. Being the first to hit the gravel tracks here in Sardinia is never easy because you will always lose a little time. So it was important to be fast in the qualifying session, to be able to choose a starting position at the back of the field. Congratulations to Jari-Matti Latvala, who did a great job. As far as the rest of the rally is concerned, we will have to be very focused, because the narrow gravel tracks don’t leave any scope for errors. There’s one thing that’s definitely just right – the Polo is driving nicely. And hopefully my luck will return.”Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
“I could have done a lot better than eighth place. I chose to use hard tyres in the practice session, and didn’t switch to soft tyres until we came to the qualifying session. I didn’t think there would be such a big difference, but the car really did feel different when running on soft tyres. And then I nearly stalled the engine in a hairpin bend. I didn’t lose much time as a result of that, but it was enough to drop back a few positions in this tight field of competitors. All the same, it doesn’t look too bad for tomorrow. We’ll just have to see what we can get out of our starting position.”Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
“With a stony substratum and a soft, sandy top layer, being able to start from the back is hugely important here in Italy. So we are obviously very happy with positions one, three and eight in the qualifying session. All three pairs of drivers and co-drivers delivered top performances at the right time today. Jari-Matti Latvala’s fastest time was the icing on the cake, and Sébastien Ogier is right up there at the front too, in this incredibly close field. Both of them have good starting positions for the rally tomorrowthat will allow them to follow a clear line in the special stages. Today, Andreas Mikkelsen found out just how tight things are at the top and what difference a minor error can make – something tiny knocked him back a few places. But his starting position is still good. All in all, we put on a solid team performance today.”And then there was …
… a rally trip into the past. Jari-Matti Latvala will be getting behind the wheel of a historic Audi for the Rally Estonia. The vehicle belonging to the Volkswagen Group brand Audi made its debut at Rally Monte Carlo in 1981. Are there parallels with the premiere of the Polo R WRC this season? Just like the original quattro, the Polo R WRC recorded the fastest time in its very first special stage. Any other similarities? The 1981 Audi and the 2013 Polo R WRC both won the second rally, in Sweden. And as is the case with Volkswagen, the two Audi vehicles were driven by a French pair and a Finnish pair. For Latvala, competing in the Audi quattro is something of a dream come true: “I’ve never driven a first-generation four-wheel drive before. I have always wanted to compare a vehicle like this one with a modern-day World Rally Car such as the Polo – and now I have the opportunity to do just that.”
FIA World Rally Championship (WRC),
Rally Italy – TV broadcastWestern Europe Andorra (Canal +); Austria (LAOLA1.tv, ORF, ServusTV); Belgium (RTBF); Denmark (VIASAT); Finland (MTV3, YLE Sport); France (Canal +, France TV, Léquipe 21, TF1); Germany (Sport1, RTL, n-tv, LAOLA1.tv, ServusTV); Greece (OTE); Ireland (Setanta); Italy (RAI, Canale Italia, Sportitalia); Monaco (Canal +, France TV, Léquipe 21, TF1); Netherlands (RTL 7); Norway (VIASAT); Portugal (Sport TV, RTP); Spain (Canal +); Sweden (SVT); Wales (S4C) Eastern Europe Czech Republic (Czech TV, Sport 5); Poland (TVP, TV4, TV6); Romania (Dolce Sport); Russia (Auto Plus); Slovakia (Czech TV, Sport 5); Ukraine (First Automotive Channel) Asia Pacific Malaysia (Astro); Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam (ESPN Star); Japan (J Sports); New Zealand (Sky Sports); Australia (Speed TV); Thailand (Truevision) North and Latin America Argentina (Channel 12); Brazil (ESPN); Latin America (Fox Sports) International Worldwide (Reuters, SNTV) -
GSK, McLaren announce winners of schools’ challenge
GSK and McLaren announce winners of schools’ challenge to inspire next generation of scientists as survey shows only 8% of students planning a career in science
WOKING, 20 June 2013: Teams of students from across the UK competed today to be crowned champions of a joint initiative between GSK and McLaren Group, designed to encourage the next generation of scientists. The initiative, named Scientists in Sport, is based on a survey that found that young people are not seeing the connection between school science lessons and future career opportunities. The survey of over 400 11-16 year olds showed that fewer than 1 in 20 young people pay full attention to their teachers in science lessons and that only 1 in 25 are definitely thinking about a career in science.
Waldegrave School from Twickenham beat nearly 100 schools from across the country to win the national final of this year’s Fast Forward Challenge, an exciting competition which supports the Scientists in Sport initiative. In keeping with the aim of bringing science, technology, engineering and maths to life through sport, competition entrants were asked to design a test to help Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 drivers improve their performance.
Students who took part in the Scientists in Sport online survey about young people’s perceptions of science said they would like the opportunity to interact with people who have a career in science as part of a classroom activity. When presented with a list of science-based careers, over three quarters of students felt that developing a life-saving drug to help people live longer made science seem more interesting. Over half of students surveyed were interested in using cutting-edge technologies to develop equipment to help sports people.
At the final, held at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, students from six shortlisted schools presented the tests they had designed to help improve McLaren drivers’ reaction times and concentration, to a panel of judges including: Clayton Green, Human Performance Manager at McLaren; James Wilding, young engineer on GSK’s Future Leaders Programme, and Kerry O’Callaghan, Head of Global Brand Communications at GSK.
Patrick Vallance, President of R&D at GSK, said: “As a science-led organisation our ongoing success relies on continuous innovation and that is led by the next generation of scientists and engineers. It’s important that young people can make the connection between the science they learn in school and the job opportunities they may have in the future – that could be developing the next vaccine to help save children’s lives, or helping a Formula 1TM team like McLaren win races. Through the Scientists in Sport programme we hope to open young people’s eyes to the careers that science can offer.”
Martin Whitmarsh, CEO of the McLaren Group said: “It’s a genuine concern that young people still do not view science as their career of choice. The young people of today are the innovators and creative thinkers of tomorrow and we will all rely on them to address major international challenges. As a technology company, we at McLaren feel a responsibility to help improve the perception of scientific careers and are proud to partner with GSK in the Fast Forward Challenge. All the finalists came up with highly innovative approaches and performed well under pressure. There is a wealth of talent in our schools; we now need to inspire bright young people to take up science and to excel.”
Kay Penly, teacher at Waldegrave School, said: “We’re delighted to have won the national final and the whole school is extremely proud of the team. The competition has been great for science at our school. It has inspired our students to think differently about science as they have been able to apply the things they learn in the classroom to something as big and exciting as Formula 1 racing.”
Waldegrave School will receive £1000 worth of science equipment and the chance to have their test carried out by a member of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driving team. All finalists were given an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the McLaren Technology Centre, which is not usually open to the public, and the chance to quiz some of the scientists and engineers responsible for the innovation behind a Formula 1 TM racing team.
Ends
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New investors to strengthen Lotus F1 team
Enstone, 18 June 2013: Lotus F1 Team has new part-owners as of today, with Infinity Racing Partners Limited (Infinity Racing) acquiring a 35% minority stake in the team. Infinity Racing joins Genii Capital, who retain a controlling stake in the team, with Gerard Lopez continuing as Chairman, a press release said.
Infinity Racing is an investment consortium whose special purpose vehicle is comprised of private investors that include an American hedge fund manager, an Abu Dhabi-based multinational business group and royal family interests of a major oil producing nation.
Lotus F1 Team was previously 100% owned by an investment vehicle of Genii Capital – a global investment management and financial advisory firm headquartered in Luxembourg – which retains a controlling stake of 65% in the team.
Gerard Lopez, co-founder of Genii Capital, will remain Chairman of Lotus F1 Team. Eric Lux, CEO of Genii Capital, will continue his role on the team’s Board of Directors.
Gerard Lopez, Chairman, Lotus F1 Team:
“Infinity Racing’s principals have exceptional expertise and a proven strong track record in developing and delivering high quality technologies. This partnership will enable us to increase Lotus F1 Team’s competitive advantage related to KERS technology as it becomes more central to Formula 1’s push for environmentally sound racing, while also making Lotus F1 Team more marketable as a brand, opening up additional major sponsorship opportunities.”Mansoor Ijaz, Chairman and Suhail Al Dhaheri, Vice Chairman, Infinity Racing:
“Gerard Lopez, Eric Lux and the entire Genii Capital team are building Lotus F1 Team to make it a serious competitor at every race and a winner on a par with the top racing teams in Formula 1. The recent developments at Enstone and results of the Team’s high-quality drivers are testament to this. Patrick Louis, Chief Executive, and Eric Boullier, Team Principal, are continuing the time-honoured traditions of Lotus F1 Team and have re-established the Team as a competitive force in Formula 1. We are honoured to be part of the Team’s forward march to the No.1 ranking and proud of the team spirit, down-to-earth nature and performance-oriented results that characterise the experts at Enstone, who endeavour to make Lotus F1 Team a title challenger in Formula 1 today.”Eric Lux, CEO, Genii Capital:
“Genii Capital is delighted to announce this partnership between Infinity Racing and Lotus F1 Team as we continue to grow and compete for podium places. Since Genii Capital took over control in December 2009, we have been focused on growing the value of the organisation and developing the infrastructure at its Enstone headquarters. As Lotus F1 Team results have continued to improve every year, we have been waiting for the right investor who will help make the jump to the top spot in the Constructors’ Championship. In Infinity Racing, we have found a partner with the right connections in addition to technological expertise and a global reach in major markets with key sponsors to achieve this goal. We look forward to working with Infinity Racing as we continue on this exciting journey.”ends
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Chandhok excited about return to iconic Le Mans
Le Mans (France), 18 June 2013:, Indian racing driver Karun Chandhok will return to the historic Le Mans 24 hours race this weekend at the La Sarthe circuit in the North of France. Chandhok will drive the iconic Le Mans 24 hours race in the LMP2 Nissan V8-powered Oreca 03 with Murphy Prototypes. The Le Mans 24 hours race, part of the FIA World Endurance Championship, is widely regarded as part of the Triple Crown of Motorsport, along with the F1, a press release from Adrenna Communications said.Chandhok is the only Indian on the grid amongst 166 drivers this year. Last year he created history by becoming the first and only Indian to compete in and finish the race, when he finished in 6th place overall for JRM Racing. There will be 56 cars on the grid and this year LMP2 is the strongest class with 22 cars on the grid.
Chandhok could not hide his excitement about returning to what he considers one of the best races ever. He commented, “I’m very excited to be back at Le Mans! Racing here last year, and being the first Indian to compete in and finish the historic 24 hours was one of the highlights of my career. This race is certainly right up there in terms of the Monaco F1 GP in terms of prestige but in terms of getting a result it’s much harder I think. It’s such a long race and certainly feels like a very long 24 hours hoping that the car runs reliably.“
The Murphy Prototypes team will consist of young New Zealander, Brendon Hartley, and the greatly-experienced endurance sports car campaigner, Mark Patterson, who placed 2nd in LMP2 at the Petit Le Mans 2011 and is boosted at La Sarthe by Karun, a former Lotus and Hispania F1 driver.
Team owner Greg Murphy said “We are thrilled to have Karun onboard for Le Mans this year. Our front-running performances at the two European Le Mand rounds this year at Silverstone and Imola has shown we have the pace, and a great driver combination in Brendon and Mark, which is boosted still further with the addition of Karun Chandhok to the squad for Le Mans. With these three, our line-up is good enough to win. Karun brings an awful lot to the table. He’s a very professional driver with Formula One experience and very quick. So we have a very good blend between the three of them.“
The circuit is 13.6 kilometres long with cars touching top speeds of 315km/h. The three drivers will share driving duties over the 24 hours. Practice & Qualifying will take place on Thursday night with for the drivers to get accustomed to driving at night.
After their Nissan-Oreca ran at the head of the LMP2 field for five hours at last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans and with Chandhok placed sixth overall last year, hopes are running high in the team camp.
Chandhok is encouraged by the competitiveness of the LMP2 category and the effort the team is putting in. He added, “Last year I was here with JRM in the LMP1 class, but the problem in LMP1 is that only the two manufacturer teams Audi and Toyota have a chance of winning. A privateer has no chance under the current regulations. In LMP2, you have a real chance of fighting for a class victory as every team is a privateer outfit. Its been interesting for me to drive the LMP2 car this year – the speed in the corners is pretty much the same as the LMP1 car and some times even faster as they are lighter, but the straight line speeds are a bit less. We’re still doing 315 kmh down the straights though so it’s pretty damn quick in the middle of the night on a narrow forest road!”
“The team at Murphy Prototypes have been working very hard to get the car sorted – they were leading the race until 6am last year but had a suspension failure. This is such a hard race to get right – the reliability of the car is probably more critical than outright speed although you do need both. I have two good team-mates in Brendon Hartley, who I know from both our time as Red Bull F1 test drivers, and Mark Patterson from America who is a Le Mans rookie but is learning fast.“ commented Chandhok.
This year’s Le Mans 24 hours race will mark the 90th anniversary of the race. The race distance is more than 5000 km, which is equal to about 16 F1 races. The Le Mans 24 hours boasts the world’s largest live audience for a sporting event with over 280,000 people.
Chandhok was also quick to thank his long time supporters JK Tyre and Tag Heuer who made this all possible. He said, “Being the only Indian on the grid amongst 166 drivers is once again an honour and I have to really thank my long time supporters JK Tyre and Tag Heuer for their backing once again this year.”
The race can be seen live at – www.fiawec.com
Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500.
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Gaurav Gill, Sanjay Takale set Indian record in APRC
New Caledonia, 16 June 2013: Celebrated Indian speedmaster Gaurav Gill was totally dominating at Rally New Caledonia delivering an impressive 19-minute win for his MRF Tyres Rally Team. The victory in the second round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) helped Gill take the overall lead in the championship as he pushed his teammate to second place in the standings. Another Indian driver Sanjay Takale from Pune, co-driven by Sean Gregory of Malaysia came second to make an Indian one-two for the first time in the history of APRC.
With his MRF team mate Esapekki Lappi unable to start today, the rally was his to lose. Gill and co-driver Glenn Macneall were masterful on Sunday on the very slippery roads soaked by overnight rain, an MRF press release said.
Gill, who was also the winner on the South Pacific island last season, reached the finish in the capital Noumea on Sunday afternoon with a comfortable margin over countryman Sanjay Takale. Australia’s Simon Knowles finished third following a close battle between the pair.
The rain forced the cancellation of 5 of Sunday’s high speed tests when the roads were deemed to be unsafe for driving. This left just one road/stage to be used 3 times with just 51km to contest. This presented a challenge for Gill not to take it too easy and lose concentration but for now the results speak for themselves.
Meanwhile, Esapekka Lappi, who led the APRC standings on the back of his first place on the season-opening International Rally of Whangarei last month, crashed out on the fourth stage and loses the title initiative to Gill, his Team MRF ŠKODA team-mate, as a result.
Lappi wasn’t the only APRC contender to suffer in the slippery conditions on day one: Matt van Tuinen retired after being injured in a heavy landing over a large jump on stage two. He will have surgery on his back this week and will be out of action for at least two months. Fellow Australian Bruce Fullerton also faltered over the jump with the damage to his Mitsubishi Lancer’s engine forcing him out close to the completion of the first leg.
Co-driven by Glenn Macneall, Gill registered his intent with the fastest time through stage one. He repeated the feat on the following test only for an off-road moment on stage three to cost him vital time as he attempted to select reverse gear in his Fabia Super 2000. That turned an advantage of 14s into a deficit to Lappi of 15s starting stage four.
But Lappi’s lead wasn’t too last. In a fifth-gear downhill section, the 22-year-old’s car pitched sideways into a large rock and the damage was too great for him to continue.
However, there were no such problems for the impressive Gill, who started the final day with a comfortable margin, which he preserved until the finish as heavy rain forced organisers to axe five of the day’s planned eight stages.
Behind Gill, APRC Production Cup winner Takale’s second place for India is understood to be the first time that two drivers from that country have climbed the podium on an FIA international event. For Knowles, an APRC Pacific Cup entrant, the result puts him second place in the category points, 27.5 adrift of Gill. Pacific Cup contender Claude Clavel’s challenge ended on stage two when he tore a wheel off his Lancer striking a tree stump.
“It was a perfect weekend for me” said Gill “the technical problems we had with the car in New Zealand resurfaced on shakedown but fortunately Lane Heenan, (Race Torque Engineering), and his mechanic’s found the problem so I was able to drive with confidence.”
Gill also commented “The Skoda and MRF rally tyres were spot on all weekend. The MRF Tyres Rally Team run a Factory backed Skoda Fabia S2000) and this makes a difference because you can concentrate on your driving. Apart from my one small spin yesterday I can say again everything was perfect,” he added.
Unfortunately for Team MRF the young Finnish driver, Esapekki Lappi, was unable to restart day 2 because of chassis damage sustained on day one. An off road excursion ripped the right rear suspension from the car. To be sure the very quick Finnish driver will be back full of determination at the next round.
For the first time ever in APRC history drivers from India made up the first 2 places. Sanjay Takale co-driven by Sean Gregory brought their Subaru Impreza WRX STI home in second place. This is Sanjay’s second event in a four wheel drive rally car and the improvement in speed was evident as the weekend progressed “I cannot believe this result! I know I was getting better and the tight twisty roads suit my style of driving, amazing!” said a very smiley Sanjay.
Once again the unforgiving roads of New Caledonia took their toll with 5 APRC championship drivers failing to finish. Gaurav Gill said at the beginning of the rally that it was an event where you had to drive at your own pace and “not push”. Certainly his experience and maturity as a driver delivered a good result for the MRF Tyres Rally Team.
Gaurav Gill (India), first position: “The final day was obviously a short day but it was still good miles although the heavy overnight rain meant it was slippery in the morning. It was hard to underdrive, which is what I was doing to get to the finish but it’s been a good weekend for us. We were quick from the shakedown having come here with good confidence from New Zealand. Now we have some good points for the championship.”
Sanjay Takale (India), second position: “I am very proud to stand next to Gaurav on the podium. I love these roads and I am well used to slippery conditions from rallying in Malaysia. I am very happy because it’s only my second event in four-wheel drive.”
RESULTS (after 17 special stages, 236.59 kilometres):
1 Gaurav Gill (IND)/Glenn Macneall (NZL) ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000 1h57m12.3s
2 Sanjay Takale (IND)/Sean Gregory (MYS) Subaru Impreza WRX STI +19m36.0s
3 Simon Knowles (AUS)/Margot Knowles (AUS) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +22m10.7sFIA APRC Production Cup: Sanjay Takale (IND)/Sean Gregory (MYS) Subaru Impreza WRX STI
FIA APRC Team Trophy: Team MRF ŠKODA
FIA Pacific Cup winner: Gaurav Gill (IND)/Glenn Macneall (NZL)
FIA APRC Junior Cup: This event not part of the FIA APRC Junior CupCHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS (full standings at www.fiaaprc.com):
Overall drivers: 1 Gill 65.5pts; 2 Takale 46; 3 Esapekka Lappi 39; 4 Michael Young 24; 5 Hiroshi Asakura 5; Overall co-drivers: 1 Macneall 65.5; 2 Gregory 46; 3 Janne Ferm 39; 5 Daniel Wilson 24; 5 Takumi Takahashi 5. Manufacturers: 1 ŠKODA 74.5; 2 Subaru 52; 3 Mitsubishi 42.5; 4 Toyota 11. Subject to results being confirmed by the event stewardsEVENT DATA:
Stage winners:
Leg one, Saturday June 15, 123.42 kilometres:
SS1: Gadji-Almameto 1 (16.78kms): Gaurav Gill (IND)/Glenn Macneall (NZL)
SS2: Magnin-Karenga 1 (13.51kms): Gaurav Gill (IND)/Glenn Macneall (NZL)
SS3: Max Foucher 1 (10.85kms): Esapekka Lappi (FIN)/Janne Ferm (FIN)
SS4: Gadji-Almameto 2 (16.78kms): Gaurav Gill (IND)/Glenn Macneall (NZL)
SS5: Magnin-Karenga 2 (13.51kms): Gaurav Gill (IND)/Glenn Macneall (NZL)
SS6: Max Foucher 2 (10.85kms): Gaurav Gill (IND)/Glenn Macneall (NZL)
SS7: Gadji-Almameto 3 (16.78kms): Gaurav Gill (IND)/Glenn Macneall (NZL)
SS8: Magnin-Karenga 3 (13.51kms): Gaurav Gill (IND)/Glenn Macneall (NZL)
SS9: Max Foucher 3 (10.85kms): Cancelled for safety reasonsLeg two, Sunday June 16, 113.17 kilometres:
SS10: ESQ/Tontouta 1 (13.37kms): Cancelled for safety reasons
SS11: Tomo-Vallee 1 (10.88kms): Cancelled for safety reasons
SS12: Shell-Païta 1 (17.10kms): Gaurav Gill (IND)/Glenn Macneall (NZL)
SS13: ESQ/Tontouta 2 (13.37kms): Cancelled for safety reasons
SS14: Tomo-Vallee 2 (10.88kms): Cancelled for safety reasons
SS15: Shell-Païta 2 (17.10kms): Gaurav Gill (IND)/Glenn Macneall (NZL)
SS16: ESQ/Tontouta 3 (13.37kms): Cancelled for safety reasons
SS17: Shell-Païta 3 (17.10kms): Gaurav Gill (IND)/Glenn Macneall (NZL)Rally leaders:
SS1-2: Gaurav Gill (IND)/Glenn Macneall (NZL) ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000
SS3: Esapekka Lappi (FIN)/Janne Ferm (FIN) ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000
SS4-17: Gaurav Gill (IND)/Glenn Macneall (NZL) ŠKODA Fabia Super 2000NEXT ROUND: International Rally of Queensland, July 12-14
MORE INFORMATION: Visit the official FIA APRC website at www.fiaaprc.com or www.aprc.tv
For Video: http://live.ralliheart.com/2013/06/rally-new-caledonia-leg-1-aprc-2013.html?
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Gaurav Gill and co driver MacNeall of MRF (centre) came first followed by another Indian driver Sanjay Takale (in blue) to create a record of Indian 1-2 in APRC. MRF Tyres Rally team photo -
Mahindra riders finish 5th and 6th: MotoGP 3
Circuit de Catalunya, 16 June 2013: The Mahindra pair Efrén Vázquez and Miguel Oliveira finished fifth and sixth in today’s Catalunyan Grand Prix. The double top six is the only Indian international motorcycle racing team’s best result so far, earning valuable points to improve the all-new MGP3O machine’s strong standing in the championships, a press release said.
The race was a personal triumph for Vázquez. The 26-year-old racer from Bilbao in northern Spain missed the last two races after breaking his collarbone in practice in France. Still not fully healed, he gritted his teeth and even took the lead mid-race. Still close to the leaders after 22 gruelling laps, fifth was his best finish of the season.
Oliveira (18, from Portugal) started from the front row for the second time this year, and played a strong part in the seven-strong breakaway. By the end he had lost a couple of seconds on his team-mate, but held his pace to win a strong fight for sixth.
It was an important race for the team and the motorcycle. Designed and built in just six months the first Mahindra MGP3O prototype proved not only reliable from the start, but also impressively competitive. The bike for round six in Catalunya was a first development step. Upgraded internal parts and a new muffler have improved engine performance, while refined bodywork has smoothed the aerodynamics.
Both riders felt the advantage, proving development is in the right direction; and the result moved Mahindra tantalisingly closer to second overall in the constructors’ table.
The next round is in two weeks, where the Dutch TT is held on a Saturday at the historic Assen venue.
EFRÉN VÁZQUEZ – Fifth Place
I am very happy with this race even though I couldn’t fight for the podium right until the end. Fighting in the first group demonstrates the level of our performance with the new bike. The setting of the bike was perfect. My main issue was my shoulder. I need more time to let it completely recover because at the end of the race it was difficult to move. It was difficult to ride in such a big battle when I am not at 100 percent. After five or six laps my strength was dropping and the pain increasing. Finally I could be fifth: a very positive result because I am not so far from the first group.
MIGUEL OLIVEIRA – Sixth Place
It was an okay race – I got caught up battling with Jack Miller and we both lost touch with the front group. It was a bit difficult to fight today, but it was important to finish and I am happy we could still get sixth; and sixth in the championship is not bad. Maybe I could have done better if everything had gone 100%, but racing is like that and I am happy that we are in good shape for the next races.
MUFADDAL CHOONIA – Mahindra Racing CEO
It was a very good performance from the boys today. I wouldn’t say I am totally happy, in spite of a double top six. I think we could have finished a couple of places higher had it not been forEfrén’s shoulder, which really hindered him in the second half of the race. It was great to see him leading the race and taking the fight to the rest, but it was difficult to maintain his pace. He was in real pain when he came back into the box – I am very pleased with his effort and determination today. Miguel got caught up with another rider and at a circuit like Catalunya it is very difficult to catch up again once you lose the slipstream. The updates that we had on the bike following the test in Mugello worked very well. This is a good sign for the future and shows we are working in the right direction.
Ends
About Mahindra Racing
1.2
Mahindra Racing became the first Indian team to participate in the FIM MotoGP™ World Motorcycle Racing Championship in 2011 and the Italian National Motorcycle Racing Championship (CIV) in 2012.
Racing in the Moto3™ class in MotoGP, Mahindra Racing entered the 2013 season with its own new 4-stroke, single-cylinder, 250cc motorcycle: the Mahindra MGP3O, developed with experienced Swiss firm Suter Racing Technology AG. Experienced Spanish rider Efrén Vázquez (26, from Bilbao) is teamed with exciting Portuguese teenager Miguel Oliveira (18, from Pragal near Lisbon). At the opening round in Qatar, the duo finished with a best-ever double Top 10 result for the only Indian team in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. In Round 2 in Austin, Oliveira finished a superlative fifth while Vázquez claimed 14th place. Celebrating a third successive top ten finish in Round 3 at Jerez, Vázquez claimed eighth place. At Round 4 in Le Mans, Oliveira secured a front row start by qualifying second.
In the 2012 CIV season, Mahindra Racing competed in the 125 GP Class and became the first team from India to win an international motorsport event, eventually recording six victories from eight races and securing the Constructors’ Championship. In the 2013 CIV season, the team has entered the Moto3 (250cc – 4 stroke) class with talented riders Andrea Locatelli (16, from Alzano Lombardo) and Michael Rinaldi (17, Rimini, Emilia-Romagna). Locatelli ended Rounds 1 and 2 with a fantastic twin podium finish. While winning the first, he finished the second in third position. Rinaldi finished eighth in the first encounter and a respectable sixth in the second.
Mahindra’s bold decision to take on the world’s best at the highest level of motorcycle racing won the team prestigious awards such as the ‘ZigWheels Motorsport Award of the Year, 2012’, and the NDTV Car and Bike Awards ‘Mobil 1 Motorsport Award of the Year, 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 16.2 billion multinational group based in Mumbai, India, Mahindra employs more than 155,000 people in over 100 countries. Mahindra operates in the key industries that drive economic growth, enjoying a leadership position in tractors, utility vehicles, after-market,information technology and vacation ownership. In addition, Mahindra enjoys a strong presence in the agribusiness, aerospace, components, consulting services, defence, energy, financial services, industrial equipment, logistics, real estate, retail, steel, commercial vehicles and two wheeler industries.
In 2012, Mahindra featured on the Forbes Global 2000 list, a listing of the biggest and most powerful listed companies in the world. In 2013, the Mahindra Group received the Financial Times ‘Boldness in Business’ Award in the ‘Emerging Markets’ category.
Visit us at www.mahindra.com.
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Efren Vazquez-of Mahindra Racing who finished 5th in Catalunya GP ahead of his teammate. A Mahindra Racing photo. -
Mahindras’ Oliveira claims front row: Moto GP
Circuit de Catalunya, 15 June 2013: Mahindra rider Miguel Oliveira claimed his second front-row start of the year for Sunday’s Catalunyan GP. Team-mate Efren Vazquez will start directly behind him, qualifying a best-yet sixth to put international motorcycle racing’s only Indian team in a strong position for tomorrow’s race.
Rising teenage Portuguese star Oliveira is fresh from fourth place in Italy after challenging throughout. The more experienced Spaniard Vazquez is back after pulling out of that race, recovering from collar-bone surgery.
Both are riding the first development version of the Mahindra MGP3O Moto3™ machine. Engine performance and aerodynamics have both been enhanced as development of the brand-new bike continues apace. The white-and-red streamliner is in only its sixth race.
Today’s qualifying continues a positive trend for the Mahindra squad. Six months after the bike first hit the drawing board, shake-down tests proved speed and reliability; results have improved race by race. At the same time the first developments were undergoing thorough tests, before finding their way to the race-track at Catalunya.
The result underlines Mahindra’s growing credibility and status in the paddock, and has further quickened interest in the machine from other teams, interested in the prospect of running the MGP3O in next year’s series.
“We have the infrastructure for supplying the MGP3O to other Moto3 teams next year as per the Moto3 regulations for 2014,” explains Mahindra Racing CEO Mufaddal Choonia. “It’s quite an exciting time in the paddock because we are getting approaches from a number of teams interested in Mahindra and the possibility of using the MGP3O as their official bike next season. And it would be extremely satisfying to see more Mahindra MGP3Os on the grid. It would certainly make us proud.”
Tomorrow’s race is the sixth of 17 rounds in the Moto3 championship.
MIGUEL OLIVEIRA – Third place, 1’51.540
After free practice we made some changes to the bike, and I was in a good group so I could get a good lap.Tomorrow will be difficult for sure – another big group fight, and tough over 23 laps. I have to be smart and conserve my strength. While the team has been doing a good job developing the bike, I am also developing myself. The first job tomorrow is to finish the race, we’ll have to wait and see what position it is.
EFREN VAZQUEZ – Sixth place, 151.952
I’m very happy and a little bit surprised: my collar-bone is still in eight parts. I have a little pain … but I am from Bilbao! I’ve been training at home, and I feel good that I can fight tomorrow. The team is improving all the time. At each race the bike and the performance get better. Having both on the front two rows is important to the team, and for our race results.
Ends
