The Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team ends the Mandalika race with Di Giannantonio in eighth place and Morbidelli in fourteenth, paying tribute to Indonesia with the special livery dedicated to the Garuda and receiving all the support from the home crowd.
The Pertamina Indonesian GP ends with bittersweet feelings for the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, with Fabio Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli crossing the finish line in eighth and fourteenth place, respectively. However, both the riders and all the team felt honoured to hit the track with the special Garuda livery, the symbol of Indonesia, and are extremely grateful for the support and passion shown by the Indonesian fans.
Di Giannantonio started from the front row and immediately tried to join the battle for the podium. However, he lost two positions on the opening lap, dropping from third to fifth. Although his feeling on the bike was not as good as it had been during the Sprint, Fabio defended his position with great determination throughout the race, making decisive overtakes as he attempted to bounce back. An issue halted his progress, forcing him arrive to the Mandalika race finish line in eighth place. Di Giannantonio currently sits sixth in the World Standing with 245 points.
Morbidelli started from the fourth row and had a complicated start, losing seven positions. The opening stages proved to be challenging for Franco, who was in nineteenth place by the second lap. However, as the race progressed, the Italian-Brazilian rider began to find a better feeling on the bike and gradually made-up ground. Morbidelli fought his way back to fourteenth place at the chequered flag, earning two points. He now sits sixteenth in the World Standing with 59 points.
Following a record-breaking Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, with an attendance of 157,875 spectators, MotoGP will take a one-week break before returning to action at Phillip Island for the last time. The Australian GP will kick off the final overseas triple-header from 23rd to 25th October.
FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO
“Today, we could have done a great job, but unfortunately, we had a problem that caused us to lose all feeling with the front of the bike. At the beginning of the race, I stayed calm and focused on maintaining my pace because I knew our rivals had something extra and that it was going to be a long race. Our goal was to stay as close to them as possible, but at Turn 10 I had a significant front lock, and from that moment on, I had a lot of vibrations at the front of the bike. I was very lucky not to crash. It was a tough race, but despite the problem, we were still in the fight. There are plenty of positives to take away from this weekend. It was one of our best weekends of the season, with a front-row start in qualifying and a podium in the Sprint. I’m very happy, and we should be extremely proud of the work we’ve done.”
FRANCO MORBIDELLI
“Today’s race went as I expected. We knew what our potential was and that we would be more competitive on more used tyres. The positive thing is that once the tyres reached their ideal temperature, I was able to find a better feeling than I had yesterday in the Sprint. Another positive is that we were very fast in the final stages of the race. On the final lap, I was the fastest Ducati rider and the third-fastest rider on the grid. Unfortunately, it was too late to recover any more positions. We also learned some new things this weekend.”
PABLO NIETO
“It has been a somewhat bittersweet weekend. On the one hand, we are extremely proud to have once again experienced the warmth and support of all the Indonesian fans and our partner, Pertamina Lubricants. From Monday, when we landed in Jakarta, right through to today here in Lombok, we have felt at home. It is a unique feeling, and we are truly grateful for it. Today’s result was not what we had hoped for, but we understand what prevented us from being more competitive. We hope that, at the very least, with yesterday’s Sprint podium and our front-row start, we were able to give something back and bring you some joy in return for all the support you have shown us over the past few days. See you next year!”
