Mahindra - first Indian manufacturer to compete in FIM MotoGP World Motorcycle Racing Championship
Mahindra Racing to compete in 125cc category in 2011 season. MotoGP will enhance Mahindra's global branding efforts as well as assisting its expansion in India's rapidly growing powered two wheeler market. First race to be held in Qatar in March 2011. Danny Webb from UK and Marcel Schrötter from Germany to ride for Mahindra Racing.
- (1888PressRelease) January 22, 2011 - Mumbai - The USD7.1 billion Mahindra Group will become the first Indian motorcycle manufacturer to enter a team into the prestigious FIM Road Racing World Championship (MotoGP). Riders Danny Webb from the UK and Marcel Schrötter from Germany, already well known in MotoGP, will ride for Mahindra Racing in the 125cc category for the 2011 season. The company today introduced the two riders to the Indian media on their visit to the Mahindra headquarters in Mumbai.
Speaking about Mahindra's participation in the MotoGP Championships, Mr. Anand Mahindra, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra Group, said, "It is a matter of great pride for us to represent India in the world's most prestigious two-wheeled race series. Mahindra Motorcycles will compete with the best in class, and it will be an ideal opportunity for us to showcase our strengths in the engineering and IT domains. MotoGP is the ultimate test for the finest talents in motorcycle racing and an immensely popular championship with a cult following. Our participation will also help us leverage the power of global branding for the Mahindra Group."
Marcel Schrötter, the 18-year-old former German and European 125cc champion, said: "It is exciting to be part of an international collaboration, especially with a company like Mahindra whose ethos is to support upcoming talent. With a year's experience in the World Championship under my belt, I am now looking forward to making a mark with Mahindra Racing at the MotoGP World Championships."
Danny Webb's talent was spotted from an early age and he became a MotoGP Academy rider, making his World Championship debut at the age of 15 in 2006. Now a veteran at 19, Danny will enter his fifth full season in the 125cc class. The British rider said: "I hope that all the experience I have racing in the 125cc class can help this new but ambitious team and I can take a step up this year. It is a privilege to ride for the first Indian team to enter the World Championship. There seems to be a real buzz about India in international sport at the moment and it would be great if we get a good Indian following."
Mahindra's entry to the MotoGP Championship follows its acquisition of Engines Engineering of Italy, a company that has been constructing race bikes and providing specialised components and technical support for teams in MotoGP since 2003. The Mahindra World Championship motorcycle has been designed and developed by the Italian two wheeler specialist.
About the FIM MotoGP World Championship
With an unrivalled 62-year history of elite competition, MotoGP forms the pinnacle of motorcycle racing. Broadcast live or same-day-delayed in over 200 countries, it reaches 337 million households while an average of 100,000 spectators turn up to watch live at the 18 race events spanning 14 different countries on four continents. Dating back to 1949, it is the oldest motorsports World Championship in existence. The races are held in three categories (MotoGP, Moto 2 and 125 cc). Over the past few years, the sport has been gaining popularity in new markets in Asia, especially the Middle East, Singapore and India.
Each Grand Prix race brings together the world's best motorcycle talent and is a superb spectacle featuring technologically advanced high-speed machinery from the world's leading motorcycle manufacturers.
Mahindra Racing - rider profiles
Mahindra Racing will be represented by two young riders, UK born Danny Webb, and Marcel Schrotter from Germany.
Danny is a young rider from Kent in the UK who, at the age of 19, already boasts a wealth of experience. He began his riding career at the age of six, when he participated in the British Junior Motocross championship before switching onto the track with the Mini Moto championship after three years. In 2003, he became the South East Junior Mini Moto Champion. In 2004, Danny took his first steps in circuit racing when he participated in the MRO Aprilia Superteens championship, where his young talent was soon noticed. In 2005, at the age of 14, he was invited to join the MotoGP Academy and raced in both the British and Spanish 125 Championships.
In 2006, Danny remained in the MotoGP Academy and raced in the Spanish open 125 championship, before moving to the 125 World Championship in 2007 with the DeGraaf Grand Prix team. In 2010, he moved to the Andalucia Cajasol Grand Prix team where he had his most successful season in the top class to date finishing 10th overall.
Marcel hails from Pflugdorf in Germany and was the 2002 Pocket Bike German champion. In 2005 and 2006, he secured second and third place in the ADAC Junior Cup (125 cc), respectively. He was the 2009 IDM German champion (125 cc) and the UEM European Champion in 2009. In 2010, he participated in the 125 cc category of the MotoGP World Championship where he rode for Team Interwetten Honda.
About The Mahindra Group
Mahindra embarked on its journey in 1945 by assembling the Willys Jeep in India and is now a US $7.1 billion Indian multinational. The company has recently unveiled its new brand positioning - Mahindra Rise. It employs over 1,00,000 people across the globe and enjoys a leadership position in utility vehicles, tractors and information technology, with a significant and growing presence in financial services, tourism, infrastructure development, trade and logistics. The Mahindra Group today is an embodiment of global excellence and enjoys a strong corporate brand image.
Mahindra is the only Indian company among the top tractor brands in the world. It is today a full-range player with a presence in almost every segment of the automobile industry, from two-wheelers to CVs, UVs, SUVs and sedan. Mahindra recently acquired a majority stake in REVA Electric Car Co Ltd. (now called Mahindra REVA), strengthening its position in the Electric Vehicles domain.
The Mahindra Group expanded its IT portfolio when Tech Mahindra acquired the leading global business and information technology services company, Satyam Computer Services. The company is now known as Mahindra Satyam.
Mahindra is also one of the few Indian companies to receive an A+ GRI checked rating for its first Sustainability Report for the year 2007-08 and has also received the A+ GRI rating for the year 2008- 09.
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