Sarath Kumar prepares for MotoGP debut

After a successful testing session in Jerez, the WTR-Ten10 Racing Team is looking forward to the start of the 2011 MotoGP World Championship at Qatar as it enters the record books for introducing the first ever Indian rider Sarath Kumar in the 62-year old history of the World Championship. The 19-year old Indian rider who won the 2010 Indian National Road-Racinig Championship will make his debut in MotoGP in the 125cc class coming weekend at the opening round of the 2011 MotoGP Championship in Qatar, which will be a night race. Joining Sarath is the Italian rider and 2010 CIV Italian Champion Francesco Mauriello. Both riders will be astride Aprilia RSW 125 race machines and over the past three-day testing sessions the two riders have gotten increasingly comfortable and confident over their machines.

The WTR-Ten10 coalition has been backed by the strong Italian conglomerate, the CRP Group, which has been actively involved in motorsports for decades. Apart from its efforts in Moto2 last year, the CRP Group also races the eCRP electric race-bike in the electric racing series and has now bought a part of the WTR Team’s shares recently to fortify its partnership with the San Marino-based WTR team. The technical partner to the WTR-Ten10 Racing outfit is ADV, which was involved in the Moto2 series last year as a constructor of the AT02-1.0 Moto2 machine that was entered by the WTR San Marino Team in 2010 MotoGP World Championship. The collaboration between ADV and WTR-Ten10 will also pave the way for a constructor entry in the Moto3 class starting from 2012 consisting of a 250cc 4-stroke engines. The Moto3 effort is in full force and is almost ready to make its track debut for testing in coming months. This year, the WTR-Ten10 Racing Team will only focus in the 125 class with its two riders but there is a possibility that the team might consider re-entering the Moto2 class next year alongside its confirmed entry into the premier Moto3 event.

Sarath Kumar (Indian):

“When I decided that motorcycling would be my profession, I knew that the path was not going to be easy as in India there are not proper facilities in support of those who want to professionally pursue a motorcycling career. However passion and devotion overcome any obstacle and sooner or later, my life goal was to become a MotoGP rider. Thanks to the support of the fantastic people that believe in me, today my dream has come true. I hope I can set an example in giving hope to many other youngsters in my country as well as giving motivation, if not even a turning point to the development of motorcycle racing in India. It will be a year of experience for me in preparation for the next one; I have to learn as much as I can but I am also confident to be able to deliver good results in a couple of races' time. I am proud to represent my country; I want to thank all my fans, all the sponsors especially my main supporter British Nutrition and my Team, for which I have dedicated the "ant" engraved in my race number that symbolises the team’s work."

Francesco Mauriello, (Italian):

“It seriously is a great satisfaction to have achieved the goal of getting into MotoGP, we can say that it is the dream of all riders. Although I am the 125cc Italian Champion for 2010, here the level of competition is tremendously high and I will certainly have a lot to learn. There are some tracks I know having already run for some rounds of the CIV and CEV, but the others are totally new to me so my commitment to training will be at the maximum. I do not fear what awaits me, actually that’s what I was waiting for and I cannot wait to start at full throttle. I want to thank all my supporters, the sponsors especially the group of Napoli’s sponsors called “PIN” and last but not least, my manager Ferdinando Schiattarella. They are all believing in me, and have given me this great opportunity to compete at the international level.”

Roberto Cevolini, Team Director:

“I do believe in motorsports at every level as a driving means of the technological evolution. The competition on track through prototypes give the opportunity to the youngsters to face others with fairness in respect of human dignity. In fact I think that motorsports, especially on two wheels, is one of the few sports where illicit means to gain unfair advantage cannot be used. Therefore it is a fair sport. Hence the passion that has been keeping me involved for many years in this exciting adrenaline filled world!”