MotoGP Indonesia: the staggered times of the first ball in Mandalika

The paddock is sailing towards Indonesia to discover a Mandalika route on the Island of Lombok which will seal a reunion awaited for 25 years. The discovery is indeed in order since, despite three days of testing on this new circuit, the MotoGP riders will ride a track partly resurfaced with tires that were not included in the program. And to not miss anything of this celebration from our latitudes, you will have to get up very early…    

After tests in February, the MotoGP returns this Friday to the Indonesian island of Lombok and more precisely to the new Mandalika Street Circuit. The track is 4 meters long, has eleven right turns and six left turns, and the start and finish straight is 310 meters long, much to the relief of the drivers Yamaha … The last visit to the paddock in Indonesia dates back to 1996 and 1997 with the Sentul circuit. The Mandalika Street Circuit in Lombok, the neighboring island of tourist magnet Bali, was only completed last year and saw the first international event in November 2021 with the Superbike World Championship. During the eventful winter tests from February 11 to 13, the Repsol Honda factory rider, Pol Espargaro, achieved the best time in 1'31.060 min, and 21 drivers were gathered in just 0,855 seconds.

The fantastic setting and fast layout of the Mandalika course appealed, but the state of the surface was sometimes heavily criticized. Those responsible reacted: it was decided to redo the section from the last and 17th curve to after curve 5, a total of 1,6 km.

This Grand Prix in Indonesia has been declared a national affair

Un travail qui a été déclaré affaire nationale afin de ne pas mettre en péril le “Pertamina Grand Prix d’Indonésie” 2022. Joko Widodo, le président indonésien, a même fait arrêter les travaux sur une piste de “l’aéroport de Jakarta” pour que le meilleur équipement de chantier soit transporté à Lombok.

Expectations are high in the motorcycle-loving country: Erick Thohir, Indonesia's state-owned enterprises minister, confirmed last week that race day tickets were sold out. Before the stars hit the track in Mandalika, 20 of them will make a stopover in Jakarta, where a parade with Indonesian President Joko Widodo is scheduled for Wednesday. For fans, a time difference of seven hours will have to be taken into account. Concretely, this is what it looks like…

2022 Indonesian GP Schedule (CET)

Friday 18 March

01:50 – 02:30: Moto3, FP1

02:50 – 03:30: Moto2, FP1

03:50 a.m. – 04:35 a.m.: MotoGP, FP1

06:05 – 06:45: Moto3, FP2

07:05 – 07:45: Moto2, FP2

08:05 a.m. – 08:50 a.m.: MotoGP, FP2

Saturday March, 19

01:50 a.m. – 02:30 a.m. Moto3, FP3

02:50 a.m. – 03:30 a.m. Moto2, FP3

03:50 – 04:35 MotoGP, FP3

05:25 p.m. – 05:40 p.m.: Moto3, Qualifying 1

05:50 p.m. – 06:05 p.m.: Moto3, Qualifying 2

06:25 – 06:40: Moto2, Qualifying 1

07:05 p.m. – 07:45 p.m.: Moto2, Qualifying 2

07:25 a.m. – 07:55 a.m.: MotoGP, FP4

08:05 – 08:20: MotoGP, Qualifying 1

08:30 – 08:45: MotoGP, Qualifying 2

Sunday 20 March

03:00 – 03:10: Moto3, Warm-up

03:20 – 03:30: Moto2, Warm-up

03:40 a.m. – 04:00 a.m.: MotoGP, Warm-up

05:00 a.m.: Moto3, Race (23 laps)

06:20 a.m.: Moto2, Race (25 laps)

08:00 p.m.: MotoGP, race (27 laps)