Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio secured eighth and ninth place respectively in Sunday’s race at Mandalika.
The Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia ended with another double Top10 finish for the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, which raced on Sunday with a special livery dedicated to Indonesia. Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio crossed the finish line in eighth and ninth position respectively.
Starting from the fifth row, Morbidelli immediately joined the battle for the Top10, showing a strong pace especially in the final laps. Franco gained several positions over the 27 laps and finished the race at Mandalika in eighth place. He now sits sixth in the World Standings with 207 points.
Di Giannantonio started from the fourth row and quickly entered the group fighting for the Top10. Despite a tough race due to the high temperatures, Fabio managed to secure the ninth place. He is currently seventh in the World Standings with 191 points.
The Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team will be back on track in two weeks for the Australian Grand Prix, set to take place at Phillip Island from October 17th to 19th.
FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO
“It was a tough race. We have a good bike but, starting from the back, the problems with the high temperatures of the front tyre become bigger. I had to ride not in my natural way, but we are working to improve the bike even in these tricky conditions. Of course, we always start the weekend aiming to the maximum, and we will analyze why we couldn’t perform as we hoped. We learned something more for the next races and we will work to be back in front in Australia. Thank you to Indonesia for welcoming us this week as if we were at home – we lived very special days.”
FRANCO MORBIDELLI
“It was a very tough weekend; we struggled throughout with less-than-ideal feelings. But I’m satisfied with the positions we achieved yesterday and today, because we finished both races and also collected some points. Despite the difficulties, we managed to secure two Top10 places, and that’s positive. The team did an excellent job once again. At the start of the race, I took a big risk at Turn 13, and I’m glad I managed not to crash. That moment cost me some time, and towards the end of the race I was faster than the group I was in, but overtaking was difficult. I want to thank the Indonesian fans who came out to support us – they’re so passionate, and it’s great to see how much they love racing.”
PABLO NIETO
“It’s been a special weekend for us. First of all, we have to give a big thank you to Pertamina and Pertamina Lubricants for this fantastic week – they’ve made us feel at home ever since we arrived in Jakarta on Monday to unveil the livery we used on Sunday, which I think looked really beautiful. We also want to thank all our Indonesian fans who support us and came out to see us here. Speaking about the race, we’re satisfied because both our riders finished in the Top10, but of course, we’re always aiming for something more. During this upcoming break, we need to analyze the weekend and try to improve ahead of the next race in Australia.”
