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 — 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.
Sunday’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.