Mahindra keen to hold on to third position

SEPANG: Riding on Danny Webb and Marcel Schrotter's best finishes in Australia, Mahindra got the fillip it needed and they would now hope to achieve a double top-10 finish in the Malaysian Moto GP and hold on to the third position in the constructors' championships.
Mahindra, in their debut season, were just one position away from achieving the goal in Australia, with Englishman Webb finishing tenth and Germany's Schrötter less than two seconds behind in 11th on a tricky Phillip Island circuit near Melbourne.
With just two races to go - the Moto GP caravan moves to Valencia after the Malaysian GP - an impressive outing at the Sepang circuit will boost the team's chances of finishing the season on the third position.
Both riders are in top form and, going by today's practice sessions, the two seem eager to get the Mahindra 125 machines in the top ten.
In the last race, the two Mahindra riders - the only bikes on the grid with both engine and chassis built by the team - were together all along the race.
Sepang offers a very different climate from Phillip Island, but there are some similarities in the nature of the circuit, with only two slow corners at each end of the start-finish straight.
The remainder of the 5.548-km lap comprises mainly medium-speed and fast corners, where a good rider can make up ground. Mahindra have an advantage in that they enjoy a 17-points cushion over rival KTM.
"I like the track, though I had a big crash there last year when somebody cut me off. The heat doesn't bother me too much. We pulled it off in Australia, with a good race for both me and Marcel. Let's see if we can do it again," said Webb.
Schrotter said, "Sepang is a long and difficult track, and I'm not sure whether it will suit our bike - but the way it has been going we can aim to keep improving and do another good finish.
"My aim for this season was to be in the top 15 overall, so I will be pushing for points. The 125 class will be replaced next year by the 250cc four-strokes."