Indonesia will join the MotoGP calendar in 2021 with a brand new street circuit in Lombok, Autosport can exclusively reveal.
A delegation from MotoGP promoter Dorna, including series boss Carmelo Ezpeleta, visited the island three weeks ago and an official announcement is anticipated afterward Saturday.
The contract for the development of the track was awarded to Vinci Construction, which was allocated 131 hectares of land surrounding Mandalika, a business area positioned within the southern region of the island of Lombok.
Vinci will even be the fundamental investor of the race, and the contribution of the French company is anticipated to amount to roughly EUR 900 million.
If the track is built on time, it would mean MotoGP has finally secured a spot in one among the most important two-wheeled markets on the earth.
Ezpeleta first mentioned organizing a street race in Lambok last yr.
“It is possible that there is a city track in MotoGP,” he said.
“There is a solid project in a warm city.
“Theoretically, the straight route shall be urban, and the paddock shall be covered and integrated with the exhibition center.
“So during the Grand Prix it will be used during the race and for many other purposes throughout the rest of the year.”
Finland and Mexico have been competing for a spot on the MotoGP calendar for a while, but weren’t included on the 2019 schedule, keeping the variety of races at 19.
According to the web site motogp.com, Dorna Group CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta commented: “What a unique project this will be, featuring a world-class urban circuit in a country where MotoGP is so popular. Indonesia is a key market for us, home to a significant proportion of motorsport fans, and the MotoGP atmosphere will be even stronger once the track is completed. “In addition, the inclusion of Lombok on the WorldSBK calendar makes it more attractive to local fans who bring two world-class events to the area each year.”
ITDC CEO, Mr. Abdulbar M. Mansoer also adds: “We are very excited to partner with DORNA and delighted to jointly host world-class motorsports events in Indonesia and Mandalika in Lombok.”
Both parties will submit additional statements sooner or later.
DORNA Group is the exclusive owner of the industrial and tv rights to the world’s leading motorcycle racing championship and ITDC, Indonesia’s largest developer and operator of integrated tourism
Source: Yahoo! Sports | MotoGP.com
