Oh, I remember it well, our first venture back into Indonesia since the 1990s. Back in 2017, on March 4 and 5, the second round of the series after a lovely week in Doha, in Qatar. Another really nice experience for the sport and while knocked by so many of the social media or chat room idiots, it was a really great part of the series when it was run. I sure hope that area returns to the series sooner, rather than later, but back to Indonesia.

That little island called Pangkal Pinang, what an introduction into this beautiful country. Sure, some missed the luxury of McDonalds, or a shopping mall, but I loved it. Different cultures, staring faces as us westerners arrived on this NON-tourist island. Different foods, and the GP run on what you could pretty much say was a third World Island, but the joy we brought them, well, that was more than worth it. Everyone from the GP paddock was a celebrity on this island and those of us that don’t usually get that treatment, it was fun, and we made the most of it.

It will go down as the race where the track nearly floated away, as Shaun Simpson and Calvin Vlaanderen won the single race Sunday, as the second motos were cancelled due to what was more rain than I had seen in a complete European winter. It was a mess, but it was an experience, and I will never forget it and I loved it. Those little food stalls along the road from the paddock to the track, as the riders passed oblivious to the lifestyle of these people. Those lucky enough to enjoy the experience took it in and hoped to return soon. Some left with an upset stomach, some left thanking life for the chance to sample something a little different.

Also, on the MXGP start list in 2017 were current contenders, Tim Gajser, who finished with a seventh place and Jeffrey Herlings who came home a very disappointing 17th. In MX2, Jorge Prado finished a very slippery 25th and looking now at his mud skills, he must have hated it when the rains arrived back in 2017.

More than a year later, we returned to Pangkal Pingang and being that it was the season of Jeffrey Herlings, little surprise he took the GP win with 2-1 scores ahead of Antonio Cairoli and Romain Febvre, with Gajser in fourth. MX2 Vlaanderen again mastered the 250 class with a victory over American Thomas Covington and Prado finishing in third.

In 2018 we also got the visit Semarang for the first time, on the main island of JAVA and like our previous experiences, I loved this one too. A beautifully prepared Greg Atkins circuit and it was Herlings in MXGP and Prado in MX2. Gajser was second to the Dutchman, Herlings with 1-1 and Gajser with 2-3.

In 2019 it was another Island as we arrived on Sumatra and this time the city of Palembang. A little of a car park track built funnily enough, on the car park of a rather classy hotel, which gave us all a personal view of the circuit from out hotel room and easy access to the track on Saturday and Sunday morning. Not a lot to do in Palembang, so the majority of the GP paddock hung out in the hotel bar and that was fun. Gajser won MXGP with 1-2 ahead of Romain Febvre and Jeremy Seewer and that man Prado won MX2 with 1-2 results from Tom Vialle and Thomas Olsen.

A week later back to Semarang and Prado won again with 1-1 and Gajser won with 1-1 in MXGP. No Herlings this year as he was on one of his injury vacations.

Of course, 2020 and 2021 were stolen from us by COVID, but we returned to Indonesia in 2022 for a single GP in Sumbawa, on the island of Samota. Gajser won again with 1-1 to show his liking for the Asian part of the season, ahead of Prado, who went 2-2 and he too was liking this whole Indonesian experience. Vialle won MX2 from Langenfelder and Benistant.

And finally, last year, it was back to Sumbawa and Romain Febvre won with 2-1 and Prado was second with 1-3, third being Seewer with 3-2. No Herlings again and also no Gajser. Lucas Coenen won his first ever GP, beating Liam Everts and Jago Geerts in MX2. A week later, we got to enjoy the new experience of Lombok, a tourist island in Indonesia and by far the best experience when it came to sun, sand and relaxing. A brilliant place and of course we return this year, but back in 2023, it was Geerts winning MX2 from Adamo and Langenfelder. Febvre snapped his second GP win on the trot, winning with 2-1 and Prado continued his love affair with Indonesia with a 1-2 run for second, with Glenn Coldenhoff third overall in MXGP. No Herlings and no Gajser again.

So, as we head into the two Indonesia races this coming week, we have Tim Gajser and Jorge Prado with three wins in Indonesia, Herlings, Febvre and Vlaanderen with two each.

Biggest Winners in Indonesia

Vlaanderen 2017, 2018

Herlings 2018, 2018

Tim Gajser 2019, 2019, 2022

Prado 2018, 2019, 2019

Febvre 2023, 2023

Since Returning to Indonesia

2017: Simpon MXGP Vlaanderen MX2

2018 Herlings MXGP (Twice) Vlaanderen and Prado MX2

2019: Gajser MXGP (twice) Prado MX2 (twice)

2022: Gajser MXGP Vialle MX2

2023: Febvre MXGP (twice) Coenen and Geerts MX2

Ray Archer KTM Images Bavo Swijgers HRC image