Antara News·Indonesia·Friday, October 9, 2026 at 03:39 AM UTC

Indonesian MotoGP 2026 kicks off with FP1 at Mandalika Circuit

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Donny Aditra, Resinta Sulistiyandari

Central Lombok, NTB (ANTARA) - The 2026 Indonesian Grand Prix weekend got underway on Friday, with riders in the Moto3, Moto2, and MotoGP classes preparing for their first free practice sessions (FP1) at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit in Central Lombok District, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).

Teams and riders were seen carrying out various activities in the paddock ahead of the sessions.

According to the schedule published on the MotoGP website, Moto3 FP1 was scheduled from 9 a.m. to 9:35 a.m. Central Indonesia Time (WITA). Riders and teams used the session to assess their bikes and prepare for the remainder of the race weekend.

Moto2 FP1 followed from 9:50 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The 40-minute session was followed by the first free practice session for the premier MotoGP class.

MotoGP FP1 was scheduled from 10:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The 45-minute session gives riders an initial opportunity to assess track conditions and evaluate their bike setups.

The Mandalika round is an important stop on the 2026 MotoGP World Championship calendar.

Aprilia Racing’s Jorge Martin leads the championship standings with 333 points, just two ahead of Ducati Lenovo Team’s Marc Marquez, who has 331 points.

Indonesian riders Mario Suryo Aji and Veda Pratama are also attracting attention as they compete in the Moto2 and Moto3 classes, respectively, during the home race weekend.

Following FP1, riders are scheduled to resume track activities on Friday afternoon. Moto3 practice is set for 1:15 p.m. WITA, followed by Moto2 at 2:05 p.m. and MotoGP at 3 p.m.

These sessions form part of the preparations for qualifying, Saturday’s MotoGP sprint race, and the main race scheduled for October 11 at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit.

On Thursday (October 8), the circuit officially received Grade A homologation from the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) for the 2026 racing season, meeting the requirements to host the FIM Grand Prix World Championship.

During the assessment, the FIM reviewed several technical and operational aspects, including run-off areas, gravel beds, tire barriers, track markings, the pit lane, the starting grid, and marshal posts. The assessment also covered the light and LED panel systems, track maintenance, drainage, and long-lap penalty zones.

The FIM also set requirements for maintenance and operational preparations during the event, including the readiness of safety and backup equipment, as well as teams capable of responding to damage involving race equipment.

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