MELBOURNE: Grand prix motorcycle racing will return to Indonesia for the first time in over 20 years when the island of Lombok plays host to a round of MotoGP in 2021, organisers said on Saturday. Commercial rights holder DORNA Group said it had signed an agreement with the state-owned Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) to host the event on the tropical island near Bali. Lombok will also host a race in the Superbike world championship in 2021, DORNA said in a media release. “What a unique project this will be, having an urban, world class circuit in a country where MotoGP has such a huge following,” DORNA chief executive Carmelo Ezpeleta said. “Indonesia is a key market for us with a considerable percentage of motorsport fans living here and the MotoGP atmosphere will be even stronger once the circuit is complete.” The races will be held on a new street circuit at Mandalika, a special economic zone at the south of the island, in a bid to boost tourism, the ITDC told local media. Indonesia hosted grand prix races in 1996 and 1997 at the Sentul International Circuit in West Java. Published in Daily Times, February 24th 2019.