After 25 Years, MotoGP Is Roaring Again In Indonesia: It's Natural For Enthusiasm To Swell

MotoGP riders pose to promote the 2022 racing season, which is planned for 20 series. (Photo: MotoGP.com)

JAKARTA - Indonesia has officially entered the MotoGP 2022 racing calendar. The Mandalika MotoGP series will be held on March 20, 2022. After the Qatar 2022 MotoGP race, the world's top riders are ready to hit the ground running in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. For three days, March 18-20, Indonesia will host a world-class motorcycle racing championship at the Mandalika Circuit.

Previously, the Qatar MotoGP received a surprise with Rider Gresini Racing, Enea Bastianini, who became the winner. He made history by recording his first victory in MotoGP as well as becoming the fourth Gresini rider to successfully become a champion in the primary class.

Through a press release, the Mandalika Grand Prix Association (MGPA) explained that the Mandalika MotoGP will be opened with a parade of riders riding motorbikes with President Joko Widodo in Jakarta on March 16, 2022. They will depart for Jakarta on March 15 in the afternoon using a rented plane and stay at a hotel in Jakarta. Jakarta.

Then, on the morning of March 16, they will be welcomed by President Jokowi at the Merdeka Palace. The parade is planned to use a replica motorbike complete with racing costumes, with the route passing through the Merdeka Palace, Medan Merdeka Barat, Hotel Indonesia Roundabout, and back to the Palace. After the parade, the drivers are scheduled to fly back to Mandalika on the afternoon of March 16 on a special plane.

Ducati team rider Francesco Bagnaia crossed one of the corners at the Mandalika Circuit during the 2022 MotoGP pre-season test in February. (Photo: MotoGP.com)

There will be 20 riders participating in the parade, with 16 MotoGP riders, 2 Moto2 riders, 1 Moto3 rider, and 1 Asia Talent Cup rider.

The MotoGP riders on the current list are Marc Marquez, Pol Espargaro, Joan Mir, Alex Rins, Francesco Bagnaia, Jack Miller, Enea Bastianini, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Johann Zarco, Jorge Martin, Alex Marquez, Takaaki Nakagami, Andrea Dovizioso, Darryn Binder, Luca Marini, and Marco Bezzecchi.

There are eight MotoGP riders who are not involved in the event. They are two Monster Energy Yamaha riders, namely Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli.

Then there are two Aprilia Racing drivers, namely Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales. In addition there are also KTM drivers, namely Brad Binder, Raul Fernandez, Miguel Olivieira and Remy Gardner citing schedule differences.

While the two Moto2 riders are Bo Bendsneyder and Gabriel Rodrigo who are defending the Pertamina Mandalika SAG team. The two Indonesian racers who took part in the parade were the riders fostered by Astra Honda Motor. They are Moto3 racer, Mario Suryo Aji who defends Honda Team Asia, and Asia Talent Cup Veda Ega Pratama racer from Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta. The 13-year-old racer has just won the third podium in the first series of the Asia Talent Cup race in Losail, Qatar.

President Jokowi while trying the Mandalika Circuit with his personal motorbike on November 12, 2021. (Photo: Doc. Cabinet Secretariat/setkab.go.id)

MotoGP through its media page assesses that the opening event with this parade is very unique to welcome the return of MotoGP to Indonesia after 25 years.

“The celebration will begin in the capital city of Jakarta on Wednesday, March 16. There are 20 extraordinary riders who will take part in a unique parade, starting and starting at the Merdeka Palace. President Jokowi will welcome the racers at the Palace, including a number of sports stars, including local figures. The president will then join the parade and ride with them," reads the MotoGP release.

Indonesia has twice held the elite class race in 1996 and 1997 when it was still called the GP500. The race was held at the Sentul Circuit, Bogor Regency, West Java.

Cargo Logistics and Repaving

In a press release from the Mandalika Grand Prix Association (MGPA), the partial re-paving of the Mandalika Circuit track between turns 16 and 17 to between turns 5 and 6 was completed on Wednesday afternoon 9 March.

The re-paving has started on Saturday 5 March. After that it will go through a cooling process for one day. Next, MGPA will carry out the cleaning process.

Meanwhile, logistical cargo for the MotoGP race has arrived at Praya International Airport, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Wednesday, March 9 at around 14.50 WITA. Cargo will arrive in stages until Friday March 11 on five flights from Doha, Qatar.

On Wednesday, there were three cargo arrivals. The first cargo arrival was by Qatar Airways cargo plane QR8356, while the second cargo plane was QR8062. The third cargo arrival was using a Qatar Airways cargo plane with flight number QR8000.

The MotoGP cargo contains all the equipment used in a racing series, including two BMW M2 CS Racing MotoGP which are used as safety cars. (Photo: MotoGP.com)

According to MPGA's Vice President Director, Cahyadi Wanda, the new rules from the government make it easier for the committee to welcome the riders and crew who come to Mandalika.

The government's policy of loosening the COVID-19 rules has a positive impact on the Mandalika MotoGP.

“On the one hand, we are grateful because the government may also see how other countries are now more open. And most importantly, COVID-19 cases in Indonesia have decreased," he said.

Mandalika MotoGP Schedule

• The Mandalika MotoGP I free practice session will take place, Friday (28/3/2022) at 09.50 to 10.35 western Indonesia time. Free practice session II took place at 14.05-14.50 western Indonesia time.
• The session on Saturday (19/3), will stage free practice III at 9.50-10.35 western Indonesia time. Meanwhile, the two Mandalika MotoGP qualifying sessions were held at 14.05-14.45 western Indonesia time.
• The main event of the Mandalika MotoGP will be held on Sunday (20/3). The race will start at 14.00 western Indonesia time.

After 25 years have passed, it is natural that the reappearance of primary class motorcycle racing in Indonesia in the form of MotoGP is greeted with great enthusiasm and enthusiasm. This is not just a racing competition, but a showcase to introduce Indonesia to the world's eyes.