Mahindra's Efren Vazquez finishes seventh in Australia
The 27-year-old was the fastest on the track in the closing laps, as his choice of a harder rear tyre paid him dividends. He closed the gap with the leader, and gained places. The chequered flag came one lap too early for him to do better than seventh.
Mahindra rider Efren Vazquez showed immense dedication in Australia, fighting back into the leading group towards the closing stages to regain his seventh position, giving the only Indian grand prix machine another top ten finish in its first development season.
The 27-year-old was the fastest on the track in the closing laps, as his choice of a harder rear tyre paid him dividends. He closed the gap with the leader, and gained places. The chequered flag came one lap too early for him to do better than seventh.
Vazquez had qualified third, for his first front-row start of the season, and the Mahindra MGP30's fifth.
The race was a massive disappointment for team-mate Miguel Oliveira. Fresh from a podium finish in Malaysia, Oliveira was making up places after a third-row start when he was jostled at the hairpin halfway round the first lap.
He did not have enough track room, hit another bike, and crashed spectacularly, the Mahindra looping through the air. The bike was not badly damaged, and Miguel remounted at the back to recover to an eventual 26th.
The race was won by Alex Rins from Spain, Maverick Vinales came in second with Luis Salom at thrid place to complete an all-Spanish podium. The top seven crossed the line within 1.1 seconds.