President Does a Lap on Custom Bike to Inaugurate Mandalika Circuit

Jakarta. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo completed a full lap at the newly-built Mandala International Circuit in Lombok on his custom motorcycle on Friday as he inaugurated the country’s first world-class racing track.

The 4.3-kilometer circuit will host a series of motorcycle Grand Prix starting with the Asia Talent Cup this weekend.  It will move to a bigger stage next week when the final round of the World Superbike will become a title decider for riders.

Then in March comes the much-awaited race the circuit is built for: the Indonesian round of the MotoGP World Championship.

In addition to the circuit, a 17-kilometer road linking the Mandalika Special Economic Zone and Lombok International Airport was completed earlier, Jokowi said in his remarks.

“The travel time between the airport and Mandalika is cut to just 15 minutes,” the president said, still wearing his helmet and leather.

"The Mandalika circuit, with a length of 4.3 kilometers and was built with the latest asphalt technology -- stone mastic asphalt, has also been completed and is ready to be used,” he added.

He delivered the speech after completing his lap in wet conditions accompanied by other prominent figures such as People’s Consultative Assembly Speaker Bambang Soesatyo and Jakarta Legislative Council Speaker Prasetyo Edi Marsudi.

State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir acted as the grand marshal who waved the checkered flag near the start/finish line.

"The Mandalika Circuit is a new one and it rained just before my lap, so I limited my pace,” Jokowi said.

Then he joked: “Despite refraining from speeding, I guess other riders were far behind me.”

His café racer motorcycle was provided by custom bike builder Katros Garage, built on a 175-cc Kawasaki W175.

The bike has a green livery with presidential marks “RI-1” on the windshield and tail.

The circuit can house around 200,000 visitors, including 50,000 in the grandstand area.

“Here we have 17 sharp corners that I found very challenging, but perhaps they are no problem at all for race riders,” the president said.