Two New GP's On The Way
A
special press conference
confirmed the details an-
nounced mid-February of the
planned "street circuit" for a Mo-
toGP return to Indonesia in 2021.
There were no new details
compared with the details re-
ported then, but confidence and
optimism from representatives of
the Indonesian tourist authority
and the consultancy involved in
the massive project.
Plans for a large resort at Man-
dalika, on the island of Lombok,
include a 2.68-mile, 19-corner
racing circuit on roads that at
other times will be used by the
general public.
Mrk1 Consulting MD Mark
Hughes confirmed that the circuit
will conform to FIM safety stan-
dards, with grandstand seating for
50,000.
Tourist board official Ricky Ba-
heramsjah explained that massive
investment (previously reported
to be more than $10 billion) would
create an integrated tourist desti-
nation, with MotoGP the premier
event for the racetrack.
Lombok is still recovering after
an earthquake in March last year,
killing more than 560 and causing
widespread damage in the north
of the island.
The track is a significant part
of a $10 billion contract with
French company Vinci Construc-
tion, which extends also to hotels
and other resort and residential
facilities, with a 15-year program
of works.
With the Finnish GP also due
to join the calendar by then, this
would push the total number
of races beyond the proposed
maximum of 20 per year. One of
the existing races would have to
be dropped, with one of the four
Spanish rounds (Jerez, Barce-
lona, Aragon and Valencia) most
likely to pay the price, although
the British GP at Silverstone is
already in jeopardy, if promised
resurfacing is not satisfactorily
completed.
Michael Scott
IN
THE
WIND
P42
Indonesia will be
back on the MotoGP
calendar in 2020 for
the first time since the
mid-1990s (seen here
where Mick Doohan
leads Alex Barros).
PHOTO: GOLD & GOOSE
