Repsol Honda Team back in action in marvelous Mandalika
Mandalika International Street CircuitAfter a week’s break, the Repsol Honda Team are back with Marc Marquez and Joan Mir heading east again for Round 15 and the start of the penultimate triple-header of 2023.
The most intense period in MotoGP World Championship history begins this weekend in Mandalika, Indonesia as the Repsol Honda Team prepare to contest six races in six countries across just seven weeks. For the second time, the Mandalika International Circuit will host the Indonesian Grand Prix after its exciting debut on the calendar in 2022.
Having achieved a romantic podium at Honda’s home round in Japan, Marc Marquez arrives in Indonesia aiming to keep fighting at the front. A bruising weekend in 2022 meant the eight-time World Champion was forced to withdraw ahead of his first Indonesian GP, but Marquez is eager to make amends and race in front of the Indonesian fans this year. With steady improvements in each of the previous races, the #93 and the Repsol Honda Team remain firmly focused on carrying this moment on into Indonesia and the end of the year.
Joan Mir returns to action after the short break after two confidence building weekends in India and Japan, his feeling with the Honda RC213V constantly improving. Battling to sixth in a soaking wet Indonesian GP in 2022, Mir has shown speed around the 4.3km of Mandalika in the past and is hopefully he will recapture it once again on the Honda.
The Indonesian Grand Prix in Mandalika is the first of two triple headers which will finish out the 2023 season. Saturday, October 14, will see Indonesia host its first Sprint Race which will run across 13 laps. On Sunday, the MotoGP field will contest the main event – 27 laps around the Mandalika track and the fourth Grand Prix to be held in Indonesia since 1996.
Location: Mandalika International Street Circuit
Mandalika International Street Circuit (known as Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit) is located in the Mandalika resort area on the Central Lombok Regency in West Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia. The circuit is a venue for Asia Talent Cup, Superbike World Championship and Grand Prix motorcycle racing races.
Our objective for this race is exactly the same as the ones which remain this year: go out and do our maximum to finish 2023 in the best way possible as a team. Indonesia is always an incredible country to visit, you can really feel the passion of the fans here and I enjoy coming here more and more each time. Unfortunately, last year I had a crash in Warm Up so finally I wasn’t able to race but I rode here in the test and during practice as well so we have some idea what to expect this year. Let’s put on a good show this weekend and really just enjoy it.
We arrive in Indonesia after a week at home, refreshed and ready to go. In Japan we had some disappointment, but I am looking to put that behind me and use it for motivation. Last year we achieved a good result in sixth in very tricky conditions so we need to see what’s possible this weekend and also what the weather does. Right now the forecast is looking very hot!