JAKARTA The legend of MotoGP racers from Italy and nine times world champion, Valentino Rossi, is said to be curious to want to race on the Mandalika Circuit track, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara.

This was stated by Alessio Salucci in the launch of the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team team at the Nusa Indah Theater, Balai Kartini, Jakarta, on Saturday, January 25, 2025.

Salucci revealed that Rossi really wanted to return to Indonesia with the aim of going to Lombok. However, at this time she was still too busy after her second daughter was born.

"He was very curious because he had never ridden a motorbike in Lombok and when MotoGP was the first time he told me, 'explain the track'," said Salucci, who is the Team Director at VR46, quoted by Crash.

Salucci admitted that he had provided details regarding the trajectory of the Mandalika Circuit to Rossi. However, he could not confirm when his friend could come to Indonesia.

"Surely he will like it. He wants to try it. I don't know when he will return to Indonesia, but I hope soon because 80 percent of our followers are from Indonesia. It's amazing. It's great happiness," he said.

Rossi has raced in Indonesia and won the 1997 Indonesian Grand Prix when he was still racing in the 125cc class. However, he retired from MotoGP just a few months before Mandalika debuted in 2022.

During the MotoGP race, Rossi won the world total of seven times. That includes five consecutive titles from 2001 to 2005, three each with Honda and two with Yamaha.

The remaining two titles with Yamaha were obtained in 2008 and 2009. The two world titles outside the main class were obtained by Rossi in the 125 cc and (1997) and 250 cc (1999) classes.


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