Mahindra Racing enters Italian Championship with Sarath Kumar as its rider

Team Principal, Mahindra Racing, Mufaddal Choonia, presents a team T-shirt to new rider, Sarath Kumar who will be riding for Mahindra Racing in the Italian Motor Racing Championship in the 125 cc class
Mahindra Racing will be entering the Italian Motor Racing Championship in the 125cc class with Indian rider Sarath Kumar. The second rider in the team is Italian Riccardo Moretti, who was also the 2009 champion in the 125cc class.

19-year-old Sarath Kumar is the first Indian to participate in the MotoGP 125CC World Championship. He was the 2010 National Champion of India in the 165CC Expert class and the 2008 National Champion in the130cc 4-stroke novice class.

The Italian Road-Racing Championship is the leading national track competition in Italy and a launch pad for Italy’s best young motorcyclists as they head towards the international arena. It is staged on the country’s best racetracks from March to October over six weekends and 8 rounds. The event is organized by FMI- Federazione Motociclistica Italiana and CIV -Campionato Italiano Velocità.

Provisional 2012 Calendar

25 March:       Round 1 –     MUGELLO
8 April:        Round 2 –     IMOLA
29 April:       Round 3 –     MONZA
23 June:        Round 4 –     MUGELLO
24 June:        Round 5 –     MUGELLO
28 July:        Round 6 –     MISANO
29 July:       Round 7 –     MISANO
14 October:     Round 8 –     VALLELUNGA

Out of the above, Mugello and Misano are also used as MotoGP World Championship circuits.

S. Sarath Kumar brief profile

Date of Birth: 15 December 1991

Nationality: Indian

Racing Career Highlights:
•    First Indian to Participate in MotoGP 125CC World Championships
•    2010 National Champion of India in 165CC Expert class
•    Lap record holder at MMRT – Chennai (1.56.629)
•    2ndfastest lap time at the Sugo International Circuit, Japan
•    2nd overall in the 4-stroke 165cc class in the MRF International Challenge 2010
•    1st overall in the Yamaha 135cc one-make under-bone class at the MRF International Challenge 2010
•    Winner of the 2010 King of the Hill in the 165CC category at Bangalore
•    Winner of the MECO 90 Minutes Endurance Race 2010
•    2008 National Champion in 130cc 4-stroke novice class

Mufaddal Choonia, Team Principal, Mahindra Racing, said: “We are proud to announce our entry into the Italian Motor Racing Championship with Sarath Kumar. This is a conscious step being taken by Mahindra Racing to nurture and grow riding talent in India. Some of the best names in the World MotoGP championship like Valentino Rossi, Giacomo Agostini, Marco Melandri have been Italian Championship winners. Riding in a championship with such high standards of competition would be a great opportunity for Sarath. This will provide him with the right opportunity to hone his skills and compete at the international level with some of the finest emerging talent in motorcycle racing.”

Team Principal, Mahindra Racing, Mufaddal Choonia, presents a team T-shirt to new rider, Sarath Kumar who will be riding for Mahindra Racing in the Italian Motor Racing Championship in the 125 cc class