The Correos Prepago Yamaha VR46 Master Camp squad have returned to the Mandalika International Circuit for the first time since last years‘ race was held here in March 2022. The long wait has made Manuel Gonzalez all the more eager to put on a good show at the Grand Prix of Indonesia this year. Kohta Nozane is also familiar with this track and excited to jump aboard the Moto2 bike to gain further experience this weekend.
While the majority of the Moto2 field has only ridden at the Mandalika circuit once before, during last year‘s Grand Prix of Indonesia, Gonzalez has more experience than that. He also visited the track as a part of the 2021 WorldSSP championship. He finished last year‘s Moto2 GP in 18th place but has made major steps since then, so the Spaniard feels he can showcase his improvement this weekend. He has climbed to ninth in the overall standings and is determined to keep the upwards trajectory going.
Nozane, though a rookie rider in the Moto2 class this year, still has his fair share of kilometres under his belt on Indonesian soil thanks to his 2021 and 2022 WorldSBK experience. His highest score was seventh place in the 2021 Race 2. The Japanese rider is looking to make a strong comeback this weekend after a premature end to his home GP a fortnight ago and will be pushing at this tricky but exciting track.
The 4.3 km Mandalika International Street Circuit was built on Lombok Island. Though the longest straight is only 507 m, speed maniacs can still get their kicks at this track. Its layout includes 11 right and 6 left corners – many of them fast, giving the riders plenty of opportunities to overtake.
The Grand Prix of Indonesia is held in the GMT +8 time zone. Moto2‘s P1 will take place on Friday from 09:50 – 10:30 local track time, followed by P2 from 14:05 – 14:45. On Saturday, P3 will be held from 09:25 – 09:55 and the qualifying sessions from 13:45 – 14:25. On Sunday, the Race starts at 13:15.
