Why me?
I can still remember the day my teammate Leandre got an invite from Yamaha Motor Philippines (YMPH) to cover the 2024 Indonesia MotoGP. We were headed home after a day-long shoot and he was screaming (literally) in excitement. Later that night, I got a call from him asking if I wanted to cover the race instead of him. Apparently, out of excitement, he forgot his scheduled personal trip on the same weekend of the race. Honestly, I was hesitant at first since I knew next to nothing about MotoGP. Heck, I couldn’t even ride bikes, but this was too big of an opportunity to pass on so I said yes the following day. That’s how I got to cover this year’s Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia.
The preparation
I was representing Top Gear Philippines, so I didn’t want to attend the race empty-handed (or empty-headed). Back in the late 2000s, I used to watch highlights of Valentino Rossi, but apart from that, I had very little knowledge about the sport. To familiarize myself more, I read some news and brushed up on some MotoGP history as well. I then followed the official MotoGP account on Instagram as well as the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team and their two riders, Alex Rins and Fabio Quartararo. My feed was immediately filled with MotoGP content.
Travel to Mandalika, Lombok, Indonesia
Our contingent was quite big—actually the largest I’ve been with on international trips. There were 60 people in the group consisting of media, motovloggers, celebrities, racers, club members, and YMPH employees.
From Manila, it took us a whole day to get to our hotel in Lombok. It included a four-hour flight, a two-hour boat ride, and a four-hour bus ride. Our flight took off from Manila at 3:30am and we got to check in at our hotel at around 5:45pm. I started asking myself: “All that for a race?” Then a sudden burst of excitement rushed through my veins as one of our YMPH friends showed us our tickets for the next day.
Day 1: Qualifying and Sprint Races
The screaming 1,000cc MotoGP bikes doing their practice runs welcomed us as we entered the main gate of the compound. The excitement grew as we saw fans of all ages and nationalities flood the entrance. You’d feel out of place if you weren’t wearing any merch since most of the fans were repping their favorite teams and racers. Thanks to YMPH, all of us were wearing uniforms to show our support for the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team.
Our tickets gave us access to the grandstand in front of the starting grid and we sat near the last corner since it gave us a good spot to watch and shoot properly. By the time we had settled in, the MotoGP practice run had ended and the racers had started the qualifying session. This is where they go out to set their best time around the track to determine their starting position on the grid for the sprint race at the end of the day. Quartararo’s best was 01:29.848 which earned him P6 while Rins was at P15.
After the MotoGP qualifying session, it was time for the Moto3 and Moto2 qualifying laps. Moto3 bikes have 250cc single-cylinder engines while Moto2 bikes have 765cc triples. They were still fun to watch but we were sent to Mandalika to watch the ultimate motorcycle championship, the MotoGP.
As we waited for the sprint race, we went down to the grounds to have lunch. There were a handful of options available but we settled for the nearest one—a decision we all regret. We paid 100,000 Indonesian rupiah which was around P370 for a one-piece chicken with rice.
We went back up the grandstand after our mediocre lunch and we noticed more people were watching. Fans started cheering for their favorite riders as they entered the track one by one. The riders lined up at the grid with their respective teams as they prepared for the 13-lap sprint race. As the timer got closer to zero, team members exited the track and went back into the pit lane. The racers did their warm-up lap and soon after they lined up again for the actual race. The screams of the fans were then overpowered by the 1,000cc engines revving up to 16,000rpm. We could feel the vibrations in our chests, and as the lights went out, the racers jumped off the line, leaving nothing but a trail of dust in their wake and a continuous reverberation in our ears. Our tour guides weren’t kidding when they told us wearing earplugs was a must.
Lap after lap, the fans reacted to the commentators’ updates but the most exciting part was when we could actually see the action. Every time we saw the riders approaching the last corner, we would follow closely to see who was in front of one another. The sprint race ended after 13 laps and Quartararo dropped to P12 while Rins maintained P15. It may not be the best results we were hoping for, but there was still hope for the main race the following day.
We gathered back at the bus and shared stories about how we spent our time. Most of them bought souvenirs such as caps and shirts. Some even went all the way outside the compound to get a good deal. We went back to the hotel after our dinner and got some rest for the following day.
Day 2: The Indonesia MotoGP
Based on our estimate, there were more than twice the attendees on the second day. It was also a lot hotter than the previous day. The energy of the entire racetrack was different as the tension and excitement among the crowd were significantly higher. We went to the Hero Walk—this is where the riders get up close and personal with us fans who want to take photos or get autographs (or just see their favorite riders up close).
After the Hero Walk, we had our lunch and stayed at a Coca-Cola booth where they were happy to accommodate us. After a few bottles of soda, we decided to go to the grandstand earlier since we noticed that the seats were being occupied faster than Day 1, and even the roofless bleachers on the other sides of the track were full. The heat couldn’t stop the fans from watching their favorite riders race against each other.
We’ve seen the sprint race a day before but the energy of the main race was just different. As the riders entered the track once more, their adrenaline started radiating through the whole track, as if we could feel their motivation to win. The screams of the fans were also loudest at the main race but still not as loud as the MotoGP bikes.
Lap after lap, we were thrilled to see Quartararo slowly gain position. There was a time I was lining up my shot for the bike on P10 but when I looked through my lens, Quartararo was already at P9. It just proves that the race was unpredictable. After 27 grueling laps under the sun, Quartararo managed to finish P6. Rins unfortunately ended up in P15 due to health concerns.
The key takeaway
This trip wasn’t just a reward for our local riders who excelled in their respective races, nor a grand publicity stunt by YMPH. This was a reminder for us that maybe someday, we could have a Filipino rider standing there on the podium, waving our national flag and singing our national anthem.
This trip was meant to inspire us to support our local riders so they can succeed in this sport—a sport that is still not greatly accessible in our country. With YMPH spearheading the local racing scene and supporting young riders who wish to compete at an international level, this dream may soon be a reality. Or maybe we can also hold a MotoGP race in the Philippines? Who knows. But for now, we will forever be grateful for the opportunity of covering MotoGP. The time and effort we exerted for this trip was no joke, but it was all worth it. It’s something I wish all racing fans could experience at least once in their lifetimes.
