JAKARTA: Portuguese MotoGP rider Miguel Oliveira won Indonesia’s first grand prix race in 25 years on Sunday, claiming victory among the world’s top riders who raced through challenging conditions on the rain-soaked circuit.
After a quarter of a century, Indonesia’s motorcycle-mad fans were treated to an eventful, top-class racing weekend at the Mandalika International Street Circuit on the island of Lombok.
Sunday’s sold-out race was delayed for 75 minutes due to heavy rain, and the audience of more than 60,000 — President Joko Widodo among them — also witnessed a hired shaman perform a ritual in an attempt to bring an end to the wet weather.
Oliveira finished ahead of current world champion Fabio Quartararo of France in Mandalika. The 27-year-old KTM rider, who gained the “rainmaster” nickname on social media after the race, dedicated the victory to his daughter.
“It’s really emotional,” Oliveira said. “I promised my daughter I would get a trophy from Indonesia, so this one is for you baby.”
Widodo, a biker himself, handed the trophy to Oliveira.
“Congratulations to Miguel Oliveira, the winner of the 2022 Indonesian MotoGP,” he said.
HIGHLIGHT
Sunday’s sold-out race was delayed for 75 minutes due to heavy rain, and the audience of more than 60,000 — President Joko Widodo among them — also witnessed a hired shaman perform a ritual in an attempt to bring an end to the wet weather.
Indonesia last hosted a MotoGP round in 1997, at a track near Jakarta. It has since struggled to be included in the race calendar over its lack of a world-class circuit. The new 4.3-kilometer track in Mandalika was completed in 2021.
The Indonesian MotoGP — the second stop on the 2022 MotoGP calendar after the opening race in Qatar — saw riders race in reduced laps over tire safety fears.
The run-up to the big race also saw Spain’s six-time world champion Marc Marquez ruled out with concussion after a crash during a morning warmup catapulted him into the air.
The buzz surrounding the event that marks Indonesia’s return to world-class racing has also put a spotlight on the government-backed, mega-tourism infrastructure project on Lombok island, which officials hope will help the region compete with neighboring Bali, one of Indonesia’s top holiday destinations.
As Indonesia aims to boost sport tourism through Mandalika, authorities are also hoping to create thousands of jobs and attract 2 million foreign visitors annually.
Lombok is still struggling to rebuild after devastating earthquakes shook the island in 2018, killing hundreds of people and causing extensive damage.
But the massive program is not without controversies, with UN experts last year denouncing evictions during land procurement for the circuit.
