President Soeharto Opens The First MotoGP Event In Indonesia 1996

Mick Doohan racing in the MotoGP GP 500 at the 1997 British GP. (Photo: Doc. Repsol Honda)

JAKARTA - President Soeharto is famous as a president who likes to watch sports events. He has attended a number of sporting events. The 1996 Moto Grand Prix (MotoGP) motorcycle race at the Sentul Circuit which was held on April 7, for example.

It comes with two capacities. First, as President of Indonesia. Second, as a connoisseur of MotoGP races. Not only that, he also took part in opening the MotoGP title and also gave the winning trophy to the Sentul MotoGP champion in the GP500 class, Michael “Mick” Doohan. This incident made Suharto's face plastered in the mass media throughout the country, as a sign that the first MotoGP event in Indonesia was a huge success.

In 1996, Indonesia had the opportunity to host an international motorcycle racing event titled Marlboro Indonesian Grand Prix 1996. All Indonesians were impatient to watch the world-class racers compete on April 7, 1996. Likewise, President Soeharto.

News of the 1996 Indonesian GP 500 event at the Sentul Circuit which was attended by President Soeharto. (Photo: Compass Archives)

He really understands that the show can present an interesting spectacle. Moreover, the race was held in the Sentul Circuit race arena which was built by his son, Hutomo Mandala Putra alias Tommy Suharto. Even Suharto himself inaugurated the circuit in 1993. The inauguration later raised the name Sentul Circuit to become famous.

"After being inaugurated (Soeharto), Sentul was flooded with automotive events at the national, regional and international levels. Starting from Enduro Race, Formula Brabham and Asia, Touring, Superbike World Championship, and Drag Race. In fact, in 1996 and 1997, Sentul made history by hosting the 500 cc Grand Prix series," wrote Suseno in his article in Tempo Magazine entitled "Let Tekor, Origin of Famous" (2005).

Suharto was asked by the organizers to open the international event. He symbolically pounced on the siren signaling the start of the race of the distended class: the GP125. The opening was then greeted with enthusiasm by the audience who were present in the circuit arena. Moreover, the audience who was present was booming. Noted, 100 thousand people came to witness firsthand. Whether they buy tickets or not.

1996 Indonesian GP 500 racing scene at Sentul Circuit. (Photo: MotoGP.com)

An interesting race is present in the GP500 class. The action of the defending champion for the second year in a row GP500, Mick Doohan was able to amaze the audience with his victory. Suharto also enjoyed it. After that, Suharto did not waste the opportunity to give an award in the form of a winning trophy directly to Doohan as the winner.

This opportunity made Suharto's face appear on the front page in various mass media. Her posing faces with all three winners, Michael Doohan (Australia), Alex Barros (Brazil), and Loris Capirossi (Italy) appear everywhere. It spreads to all corners of the country. As a sign the race at Sentul Circuit was a huge success.

“President Suharto has often witnessed sports matches live. But giving awards directly to winners is a very rare thing."

"The organizing committee for the Marlboro Indonesian Grand Prix, as well as the Doohan racer who won the race, deserve the honor, because Pak Harto was willing to witness the race and hand over the award directly," wrote the Kompas Daily report entitled Dari Pak Harto for Doohan (1996).