Miguel Oliveira and Efren Vazquez complete eventful India tour
The new Mahindra Racing riders for 2013 received a warm welcome on their first visit to India as part of their new team. The pairing of experienced Spanish rider, Efrén Vázquez (26, from Bilbao) and promising Portuguese teenager, Miguel Oliveira (17, from Pragal near Lisbon), who will embark on the 2013 Moto3™ championship in Qatar in April, visited a number of famous landmarks across the country and met team members, fans and journalists at the Mahindra Racing headquarters.
Their Indian sojourn began in the National Capital, with Miguel Oliveira visiting Agra where he was treated to a guided tour of the Taj Mahal, its architecture and its history. The following day he travelled to Mumbai, along with his new team mate, Efrén Vázquez, and Mahindra Racing team manager, Massimo Biagini, to visit Mahindra Towers, the headquarters of the Mahindra Group. Here, they joined Mahindra Racing CEO, Mufaddal Choonia, Mr. S.P. Shukla, President – Group Strategy and Chief Brand Officer, Mahindra Group and Member of the Group Executive Board, and automotive journalists for high tea. In the evening, the new riders enjoyed a spectacular dinner and cocktail party hosted in their honour by Total Oil India Private Limited, Mahindra Racing’s sponsor.
Also present at the celebration were ten fans selected by Efrén and Miguel via a twitter competition launched prior to the trip to India by Mahindra Racing, in which Elf Moto was the title sponsor. The ten lucky winners were given the opportunity to meet the riders and have photos taken with them during the evening.
Miguel Oliveira: “It’s been fantastic to come to India to meet our new team. India is a truly fascinating country and it’s been a wonderful experience to see the Taj and meet our fans. It makes me very proud to know Mahindra Racing has such a strong fan following in India and I hope to return to this beautiful country someday.”
Efrén Vazquez: “The trip to India has been a fantastic way to begin the new season with Mahindra Racing. We have had a busy few days but I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to spend some time here, get to know my new team and meet a lot of fans along the way too. The spirit within Mahindra Racing is very strong; I’m really happy to be part of this team and can’t wait for the 2013 season to begin”.
Thursday saw the team attend the 2013 Mumbai International Motor Show, where both riders made an appearance on the Mahindra 2 Wheelers stand and showcased two of Mahindra’s newest models, the Pantero and Centuro. Next up was a visit to India’s Radio One 94.3 headquarters, where the Mahindra pairing was interviewed by DJ Erica D’Souza on her drive-time show, before giving fans the opportunity to ask the riders questions live on air.
The final day of the Mahindra Racing riders’ whistle-stop trip to India drew to a close in magical style as they attended the glittering 2013 ET ZigWheels Awards ceremony in Mumbai. Both riders were honoured with special recognition awards and the Mahindra Racing team received the Motorsport Award of the Year 2012. Miguel and Efrén also took turns to present prestigious awards in other categories, completing an action-packed and exciting trip for the whole team.
Mahindra Racing CEO Mufaddal Choonia: “The past few days here in India have been magical. We have formally welcomed our new riders, Miguel Oliveira and Efrén Vázquez, to our country and our team’s home here in Mumbai, and we hope they have enjoyed it and everything that India has to offer. This visit has given great momentum to Mahindra Racing: it symbolises the start of a new year and the exciting talent it brings in the form of our new riders, so we are all looking forward to beginning the new Moto3™ season in earnest.”
Source: Mahindra Racing Press Release
