Mahindra Racing launched India’s first all-electric zero emission race car at the 12th Auto Expo in the city here. The car will feature in the FIA Formula E Championship that begins in September this year. Ten races will be conducted in the inaugural year of the series that has been organised by the FIA to promote electric vehicles and EV technology.
Mahindra Racing will be among the 10 teams in the all-electric global race championship. The car can touch speeds of up to 225 kilometres per hour.
Mahindra Racing’s MGP30 racing bike, developed in collaboration with Swiss manufacturer Suter, was on display at the Auto Expo as well. San Carlo Team Italia, CIP and Ambrogio Racing have acquired the services of the MGP30. Hence, in only its fourth season on the competitive racing circuit, Mahindra Racing will have eight of its bikes at the races. In fact, Ambrogio had switched to the MGP30 midway through last season.
The season begins on March 23 at the Losail International Circuit in Doha.
Mahindra Racing finished third in the team standings last season, only 18 points behind Kalex KTM in second.
The team’s riders for the 2014 season, Miguel Oliveira and Arthur Sissis were also in the city on Thursday.
While this will be Sissis’s inaugural season with Mahindra Racing, Oliveira rode for the team in 2013 too. Looking back, Oliveira said that the previous term was the best of his fledgling career.
“Since I’m riding for a factory team (a team that produces its bikes), it’s a big advantage. I know what to ask our engineers for at the factory in Switzerland,” he said.
“I always race to win. My target for 2014 is to finish among the top three,” said the Portuguese.
When asked to explain the absence of an Indian rider in the team, Mahindra Racing CEO Mufaddal Choonia claimed that the non-existence of a Grand Prix-based series in India severely restricts the team’s ability to nurture an Indian rider.
