MotoGP Indonesian GP: KTM's Oliveira takes impressive wet-weather win

Drama permeated the run-up to MotoGP’s first Indonesian GP in 25 years, with the big news being Marc Marquez’s violent warm-up crash ruling him out of the race. 

The Honda rider suffered a concussion in a horrifying highside in the latter stages of warm-up on Sunday morning and was declared unfit having gone to hospital for precautionary checks.  

The MotoGP race was then shortened from 27 laps to 20 over safety fears about the condition of the circuit in the extreme heat, before heavy rain led to a delay of an hour and 15 minutes to proceedings. 

Declared a wet race, the entire field opted for Michelin’s medium front and rear rain tyres. 

Poleman Fabio Quartararo nailed his launch off the line to grab the holeshot on his factory Yamaha, with Oliveira slotting into second ahead of Ducati’s Jack Miller and a fast-starting Alex Rins on the Suzuki.  

Miller overhauled Quartararo on the run over the line to start lap two as the Yamaha rider seemingly made a mistake exiting the final corner – something he’d do on the following tour, which dropped him out of the podium places to fifth.

Oliveira also quickly dispatched Quartararo to give Miller chase, as the leading duo immediately moved over a second clear of the pack behind.  

The KTM rider’s searing pace would prove too much for Miller and would succumb to his advances at Turn 12 on lap five.  

Oliveira would charge off into the distance, opening up a lead of over four seconds to Miller, who started to fade in the closing stages.  

Raul Fernandez, KTM Tech3

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Miller came under attack from Pramac’s Johann Zarco, Rins and Quartararo – though a mistake for Rins would drop him off the podium battle.  

Quartararo capitalised on a