Mandalika Paves Way for World Spotlight

KOMPAS/ISMAIL ZAKARIA

Enthusiasm of the audience in the premiere spectator stands during the Superbike World Championship at the Pertamina Mandalika Highway International Circuit, Kuta, Pujut, Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Sunday (21/11/2021).

PRAYA, KOMPAS — The Mandalika Circuit has impressed the international Superbike riders, who said they relished the challenge offered by the 4.3-kilometer track as well as saying it had the best track traction in the world.

The riders’ praises aside, improvements need to be made, especially the drainage in the runoff areas of the circuit, where a waterlog during the races posed a serious risk to the riders.

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The drainage was one among the few shortcomings that came up during the racing event at the weekend and would need to be improved ahead of the MotoGP next year.

The Mandalika audience was thrilled by the tightly fought and entertaining competition. The fast section of the track enabled the riders to engage in moments of tense overtaking, as displayed by Toprak Razgatlioglu, Jonathan Rea, Axel Bassani and Scott Redding in the first race.

The fierce rivalries were wrapped up with Razgatlioglu, who rode for Pata Yamaha with the Brixx team, emerging the new Superbike champion. He held off Rea as Kawasaki Racing's flagship rider in his run for a seventh consecutive title. Razgatlioglu also became the first Superbike champion from Turkey.

Razgatlioglu (25) dedicated the victory to his late father and praised the team, which he said had done a great job that year. Hailing it a special day, he said he felt as if his father had been watching his competition.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Kawasaki Racing rider Jonathan Rea (right) competes with Ducati Aruba.it Racing team rider Scott Redding (left) in the second race of the 2021 Superbike World Championship (WSBK) at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit in Pujut, Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Sunday (21 /11/2021).

In the second race, which lasted 12 laps following a one-hour delay caused by heavy rain, the spectators were presented with another suspense-filled competition. Racing in wet conditions, the riders found the circuit held the edge over other racing arenas.

The circuit appeared to have high traction in the rain, with Scott Redding of the Aruba.it Racing-Ducati hailing it as remarkable. Despite being wet, he said, the track did not become too slippery, so they still had the chance to speed up like in dry condition. He said he had enjoyed the race.

Rea also acknowledged Mandalika as one of the circuits with the highest traction in the world and praised the completion of the circuit for world races, even though the conditions of the circuit had not been ready only four weeks back.

He pointed to the drainage in the runoff area as a problem needing to be handled.

Apart from that, the six-time world champion congratulated the circuit management, saying that they had done an amazing job.

The area needs to be hardened with concrete or paving bricks.

The circuit management will also have to patch up the area around the stands, which became uncomfortable during the rain as the wet conditions made walking to the stands difficult as they became slippery and dirty. The area needs to be hardened with concrete or paving bricks.

MGPA director Ricky Baheramsjah said that the Superbike had provided them with room for improvement ahead of the MotoGP, the world’s most prestigious motorcycling championship.

The Superbike, he said, was an important lesson-learned experience to improve the organization, as well as to patch up the infrastructure.

"As Indonesians, we deserve to be proud because world-class motorcycle racing is back," Ricky said.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Pebalap dan kru tim masuk kembali ke garasi dari grid start setelah petugas trek sirkuit Team racers and crew re-entered the garage from the starting grid when heavy rains hit the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit in Pujut, Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara during the 2021 Superbike World Championship (WSBK) motorcycle racing event, Sunday (11/21/2021).

Regarding next year’s MotoGP pre-season test in February and the second series race in March, Ricky said they would be up for the three-month task of preparations ahead. He hoped that the circuit would pass homologation to obtain A accreditation in order to be able to hold the Grand Prix event.

(This article was translated by Musthofid).