Mahindra Racing and Max Biaggi Announce Collaboration
With the end of its best season to date fast approaching, Mahindra Racing has embarked on an ambitious new project alongside four-time 250cc World Champion and double WorldSBK Champion Max Biaggi.
Having achieved tremendous racing success across a multitude of classes, ‘Il Corsaro’ is set to begin a new stage in his career as a team manager and Mahindra Racing ambassador.
The project will see Max Biaggi operate an official Mahindra-supported team in the Campionato Italiano Velocitá (CIV), and selected races in the FIM CEV Repsol Moto3 Junior World Championship, receiving the full technical package alongside support at races and tests from factory Mahindra Racing technicians.
This will not only ensure the abilities of MGP3O are taken complete advantage of, but will also provide yet more data for the team at Mahindra Racing’s development centre in Besozzo to analyse.
Mahindra Racing is pleased to work closely with a former rider of Biaggi’s calibre to help him nurture young Italian talent, with Alessandro Del Bianco and Davide Baldini the team’s 2017 riders.
Biaggi’s decision to collaborate with Mahindra Racing for his project is yet another vote of confidence in the MGP3O and the advancements made by Mahindra in 2016.
With a major presence in the World Championship, FIM CEV Repsol Moto3 Junior World Championship and the Campionato Italiano Velocitá, 2017 is set to be an ambitious year with huge rewards on offer as Mahindra Racing continues to broaden and diversify its racing activities.
Mufaddal Choonia, CEO, Mahindra Racing
“The Mahindra Group is focused on helping people rise to realise their dreams and that is also Max’s focus with his new role as a team manager and Mahindra Racing ambassador. Mahindra Racing is pleased to facilitate this new stage in Max’s career by providing the necessary support. Max has had huge success in almost every level of racing and he understands what it takes to win. His choice of Mahindra Racing as a partner is a very big vote of confidence for the brand and the MGP3O in particular. Having taken the project in-house for 2016, we have seen a huge improvement in results and while we are very pleased with the achievements of 2016, we have no plans to slow down. Mahindra Racing has always had a strong presence in the CIV; Italy is an important market and continues to produce some wonderful racing talent.”
Max Biaggi, Team Principal
“My passion for racing is still very high and I feel the need to give back to the racing community in Italy. With this project I am hoping to help young Italians achieve their dreams of racing and winning in the World Championship. Mahindra have shown incredible progress in 2016 and it is clear to me that the MGP3O can be a championship-winning machine. I approached Mahindra as I know that together we can be fighting for the top. They are offering a great level of support to me, my team and the riders. I wish to once again thank them. I am sure 2017 will be a wonderful year for us both.”
About Mahindra Racing
In 2016, Mahindra Racing is competing as a constructor in its fifth year in the Moto3 class of MotoGP and remains the only Indian constructor in the series, having first participated in 2011.
Mahindra Racing supplies the Mahindra MGP3O single-cylinder, 4-stroke, 250cc motorcycle to the factory Aspar Mahindra Team and three customer teams. Mahindra also supplies an official Peugeot Motocycles derivative of the MGP3O to the factory Peugeot MC Saxoprint Team.
The 2016 Mahindra Racing line-up includes: Aspar Mahindra Team Moto3 – Jorge Martin (SPA), Francesco Bagnaia (ITA); Peugeot MC Saxoprint – Albert Arenas (SPA), John Mcphee (GB); Platinum Bay Real Estate – Marcos Ramirez (SPA), Darryn Binder (RSA); CIP-Unicom Starker- Fabio Spiranelli (ITA), Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN); 3570 Team Italia – Stefano Valtulini (ITA), Lorenzo Petrarca (ITA).
Mahindra Racing made history in the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix taking the first-ever podium for an Indian constructor. The MGP3O recorded top-five finishes in 10 of the 17 rounds in 2013 as well as a pole position, three circuit lap records and third in the constructors’ rankings.
The 2014 season saw a further three podium finishes for the Indian motorcycle, including second place at the Sachsenring. In 2015, the Mahindra regularly fought at the front of the ultra-competitive Moto3 class and recorded a podium finish at Le Mans.
2016 got off to a strong start for Mahindra Racing with Aspar Mahindra team rider Francesco (Pecco) Bagnaia securing a third place podium finish at the opening round in Qatar.
The podiums continued in Jerez and Mugello before Pecco made history with victory in Assen, Mahindra’s first in the World Championship.
It was a historic day for everyone involved and proved the high level performance capabilities of the MGP3O. Two more victories followed with John McPhee dominating the field in a wet Czech GP before Bagnaia took a wonderful seven-second win in Sepang.
As well as its commitment in the World Championship, Mahindra continues to supply MGP3O machines to Team Aspar to compete in World Championship feeder series, the FIM CEV Repsol Moto3 Junior World Championship in 2016.
For further information visit: MahindraRacing.com
