Jakarta: Indonesia hosts its first motorcycle Grand Prix in 25 years on Sunday, confident that concerns surrounding the new track will be forgotten once the racing begins in front of a sell-out crowd.
The archipelago nation of 270 million people is motorbike mad — many get around on two wheels ̵2; and there is a palpable sense of excitement at the prospect of excellent racing returning.
Even President Joko Widodo is a fan and tried out the Mandalika International Street Circuit when he officially opened it in November, having a go on a custom-made green Kawasaki bike.
SundayR17;s race is the second stop on the 2022 MotoGP calendar after the opening race in Qatar two weeks ago, won by Enea Bastianini of Italy.
The new 4.3-kilometer (2.7-mile) circuit hugs the white-sanded coastline on the island of Lombok, which wants to rival its better-known neighbor, Bali, as a tropical holiday destination. The track complex is part of those ambitions.
There is great anticipation, but also angst and anger — the circuit is part of a mega-tourism infrastructure project denounced by the United Nations over the eviction of families. Some refused to leave and were still encamped at the track in November.
