Team Mahindra eye European glory
Miguel Oliveira
Following their best-ever results in the opening two races in Qatar and the US, the only Indian team in motorcycle Grand Prix racing is ready to keen on building their performance as the European season begins at Jerez this weekend.
Mahindra’s new riders and the brand-new Mahindra MGP3O machine have achieved double points in the two season-opening “flyaways”, and have also recorded the marque’s first top-five finish.
Portugal’s Miguel Oliveira, 18, had claimed a fighting fifth place, gaining two places on the final lap, at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas the weekend before last. A fortnight earlier, Oliveira was seventh in Qatar, and is now placed fifth overall in the points in the Moto3™ class.
“I think we can be strong and competitive at Jerez. We have a lot of information from pre-season tests, so we can be a little more confident of our chances compared to the previous races. It won’t be easy, but I am hoping for another good result,” said Oliveira.
“The goal is to be consistent and fighting in the top six every weekend, and after only two races we are already doing that. This project is very new and we can only get stronger.”
Team-mate Efrén Vázquez of Spain claimed 10th and 14th places, securing a full house of points for the team.
“This is the first of three home Spanish races for me, so you can be sure I will be trying my hardest. I was a bit disappointed after the Texas race, because all weekend I couldn’t find a good feeling with the front tyre. To be closer to Miguel I need to solve this problem. That will be my first target at Jerez; the second to make sure Mahindra get both bikes in the points again,” said Vázquez. Unlike the previous two circuits, Jerez lacks long straights and offers complex corner sets — which should play to the strengths of the MGP3O’s sweet-handling chassis.
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