Enjoying Racing In Mandalika, Scott Redding: So Much Fun

Scott Redding (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - World Superbike racer Scott Redding admitted that he really enjoyed racing at the Pertamina Mandalika Circuit in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) and was satisfied to be able to entertain Indonesian fans.

The inaugural race at the Mandalika Circuit had to be postponed after bad weather forced the committee to reschedule Race 1 to Sunday morning followed by Race 2 in the afternoon but the 10-lap Tissot Superpole Race had to be canceled.

In his first appearance in Mandalika, the Aruba.It Racing-Ducati rider appeared aggressive in Race 1, breaking the rhythm of the front riders as they battled for the lead with Jonathan Rea and new world champion Toprak Razgatlioglu for a place on the podium.

Redding also dared to appear pressing in the wet Race 2, which was postponed for an hour and a half due to heavy rain, and finished one position better as runner-up when Rea appeared dominant to win his second victory at the Mandalika track.

"I was in the pit box and I said I don't want to stop racing, at least try because it's at the end of the championship and for all Indonesian fans. We have to try," said Redding, as reported by Antara, Monday, November 22.

"I'll try the first corner and see what happens and put on a show. I'm usually conservative but not today, I overtake and overtake a lot because I want to entertain. I think Jonathan will too," said the driver who will move to the BMW Motorrad team this season.

Redding admitted that he was surprised that the Mandalika circuit track still made the tires stick with a lot of grips even though it was flooded. That's why the riders were able to perform fast in the wet Race 2.

"When I'm behind I feel faster then I overtake him. When he's behind, he feels faster then overtakes again, this is strange," said the former MotoGP rider.

"But I think it's because we adapted every lap and it's great to finish the race this way at the end of the season.

"Probably one of the best fights I've ever had especially in the rain. I'm very happy to have this race.

"The track has a lot of grips, so it's quite exciting because it doesn't have a lot of slides so you can press as well as in dry conditions.

"If the temperature was lower I think this track has a lot of grips but so far it's been a great race in Mandalika."

One thing that has caught Redding's attention is the need for the committee to repair the circuit's drainage channel because when it rains, the water doesn't get wasted quickly and a number of tracks have puddles of water.

"This track was built in a fairly fast time. When in a hurry you often make mistakes, that's normal and of course don't expect rain, heavy rain like this," he said.

"Drainage is one of the things that needs to be improved but we are still learning because when we looked here six months ago it was nothing," said Redding, who finished third in the standings after Razgatlioglu won his first world title to break his dominance of six seasons.