MotoGP Indonesia 2023 set to thrill fans at Mandalika Circuit

INDONESIA: Anticipation is steadily mounting as the esteemed MotoGP returns for the dates of October 13th to 15th, 2023.

MotoGP Indonesia, this time, will make its grand appearance at the Mandalika Circuit in the beautiful locale of Lombok, Indonesia, and it’s officially recognized as the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia.

The MotoGP Mandalika 2023 event is scheduled to kick off with free practice sessions on Friday (13 Oct). Following that, qualifications and the Sprint race will take place on Saturday (14 Oct).

Notably, this will mark the first-ever occurrence of a Sprint race at the Mandalika Circuit. The main race will then be held on Sunday (15 Oct).

French Rider Fabio Quartararo Aims for Victory

French MotoGP rider Fabio Quartararo has set his sights on victory at MotoGP Mandalika 2023.

Arriving at Lombok International Airport with his partner on Tuesday (10 Oct) evening, the former MotoGP world champion expressed his gratitude to Indonesia and his determination to win in Mandalika.

“Thank you, Indonesia. I am definitely targeting victory in Mandalika,” Quartararo stated The Yamaha rider, who finished second in 2022, hopes for dry track conditions at the Mandalika Circuit. “I hope we can race in dry conditions,” he added.

Joan Mir Hopes for Rain

On the other hand, Repsol Honda rider Joan Mir Mayrata hopes for wet conditions during the race.

Mir expressed his delight at returning to race at the Mandalika Circuit. The former Suzuki rider aims to finish in the top five in the 15th MotoGP season.

“My target is the top 5 in Mandalika,” he stated. The Spanish rider also hopes for rainy conditions similar to MotoGP 2022 at the Mandalika Circuit.

“Because in 2022, it rained (at the Mandalika Circuit). I enjoy racing in the rain,” Joan Mir concluded.

Brad Binder Optimistic About Mandalika Challenge

Red Bull rider Brad Binder has also arrived in Indonesia, landing at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, on Tuesday (10 Oct) around 16:00 WIB local time.

Binder expressed optimism about the MotoGP Mandalika 2023 race. “Of course, we are happy to be back there; the track has been improved, everything is new, so it’s very exciting.

But the GP track there is an incredible place, so I’m excited to be back,” Binder said. Brad Binder is currently in 4th place in the MotoGP 2023 standings with 201 points.

Red Bull KTM rider Brad Binder. (Photo: AFP)

Prima Pramac Racing’s Impressive Streak

The Prima Pramac Racing team, based on Ducati motorcycles, approaches GP Indonesia with enthusiasm and high confidence due to the impressive performance of one of their main riders, Jorge Martin, in the last four races.

The Spanish rider has secured podium finishes in the last four races and clinched two victories in the San Marino and Japanese GPs.

As a result, Martin has significantly closed the points gap with Ducati Lenovo rider Francesco Bagnaia in the overall rider standings, currently sitting in second place, just two points behind the reigning MotoGP champion.

Not only has Martin’s performance positively impacted his position in the rider standings, but it has also boosted Prima Pramac Racing’s position in the MotoGP team standings for the current season.

Prima Pramac Racing currently leads the team standings with a total of 478 points, holding a comfortable 78-point lead over the second-placed Mooney VR46 team.

Ducati Corse’s Hope for Dry Weather

As the race at Mandalika approaches, Ducati Corse Sports Director Paolo Ciabatti expressed hope for normal weather conditions during the weekend.

He wishes to avoid rain pouring down on the Mandalika Circuit, recalling last year’s first race in Mandalika that had to take place in wet conditions due to heavy rain just before the start.

“Our hope for this year is good weather with no rain. If it has to rain, it can come on Monday. We know there has been no rain here for about two months,” Ciabatti continued.

Ducati Corse rider during a press conference in Jakarta (Photo: Liputan6.com)

Riders Arriving in Lombok

According to Priandhi Satria, Director of the Mandalika Grand Prix Association, several MotoGP riders have already arrived in Lombok.

All MotoGP and Moto2 riders are scheduled to arrive on Thursday (12 Oct), typically two days before the race.

“Usually, two days before the race, on Thursday, all riders arrive at the racing venue,” Priandhi explained.

Accommodations Prepared in Lombok

In preparation for the MotoGP Mandalika 2023 event from 13 to 15 October, a variety of accommodations in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), have been readied.

This was confirmed by Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno after attending a limited cabinet meeting led by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in Jakarta on Monday (9 Oct).

“If we look at the preparations, they are almost final. Accommodation readiness has been checked; out of a total of 16,000 rooms and additional homestays prepared in the tourist villages around Mandalika, including the highly relied-upon villas, are already available,” Sandiaga stated.

He further emphasized that all preparations for the MotoGP Mandalika 2023 event have been proceeding according to plan.

He hopes that the race at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit will attract attention due to the tight competition at the top of the standings.