Sarath Kumar gets pat on the back

Apr 23, 2012 |

chennai

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Sarath Kumar

It’s been a steep learning curve for Sarath Kumar. The only Indian rider at the Italian championship is slowly but steadily getting to grips with the highly competitive world of two-wheeler racing.

The 20-year-old Chennai biker made history of sorts when he finished seventh to grab nine points in the second round at the famous Imola circuit recently.

Sarath has been nurtured by Mahindra Racing, the first Indian team to compete in the Italian series.

Mahindra got off to a spectacular start in their maiden entry in the championship with ex-Italian champion, Riccardo Moretti, winning the opening two rounds in the 125cc class, while Sarath’s progress has been impressive since the season began.

His maiden points finish came after a technical issue that forced him into early retirement in the opening race.

Sarath got a pat on the back on Monday as the Chennai rider was felicitated by his team for his Imola achievement.

“We are delighted by Sarath’s performance at Imola and are confident that he will only get better. Mahindra Racing sees the Italian championship as an opportunity to nurture and grow rising Indian talent such as Sarath.

“Riding in a championship with such high standards is a great opportunity for him to hone his skills and develop into a world-class rider,” said Mufaddal Choonia, chief operating officer of Mahindra Racing.

Third racing weekend of the eight-round series will be held at the Monza circuit on April 29. The Italian Road-Racing Championship has churned out many a champion including the likes of Valentino Rossi, Giacomo Agostini and Marco Melandri.

Sarath vowed that he would continue to work hard and garner more points for Mahindra Racing. “This is a moment of great pride for me as the championship is one of the most competitive breeding grounds for emerging talent.

I would like to express my gratitude to the Mahindra Group for all their support and encouragement and I look forward to delivering a strong performance in future races,” added the national championship, who also became the first Indian to compete at the MotoGP (125cc) last year.

With ex-Italian champion Riccardo Moretti as his teammate and racing at tricky circuits in Italy the series has been a tremendous exposure for Sarath.

“I am trying to make the most of it. I am learning a lot from my teammate Moretti and it’s been very useful,” he added.

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