MotoGP Mandalika: Oliveira overcomes delay to win in the wet

Red Bull KTM’s Miguel Oliveira mastered Mandalika’s tropical conditions to secure the new circuit’s maiden victory in Sunday’s IndonesianGP.

The first race in the archipelago for 25 years saw two frenchman complete the podium as Monster Energy Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo outpaced Pramac Ducati’s Johann Zarco in the closing stages for second and third.

The premier class action was initially reduced to three-quarters distance ahead of the IndonesianGP. FIM Safety Officer Franco Uncini confirming the decision was taken “to preserve the track conditions” due to the deteriorating, yet already resurfaced asphalt.

Torrential rain then hit the island half an hour before the scheduled start time, with the 20-lap race subsequently delayed. The safety car aquaplaning around the track as it attempted to assess conditions at 3pm local time. After further downpours, impressive lightning displays and a rain handler or ‘pawang hujan’ attempting to chase the clouds away, the grid finally lined up over an hour later than planned.

Repsol Honda’s Marc Marquez, however, was missing from the action after an intense high speed highside left the Spaniard heading for the hospital with a head concussion sitting him out of the historic contest.

Lights out at 16:15 local time saw Quartararo launch from pole, the Yamaha man previously hoping for a dry battle having struggled in wet conditions. Pramac’s Jorge Martin and Zarco completed the front row with KTM and Ducati power threatening behind.

A lightning start for Oliveira saw the Portuguese rider into second, from seventh, with Jack Miller third on the Lenovo Ducati. Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins round the outside for fourth as the Pramac pair dropped to fifth and sixth. Monster Energy’s Franky