President Jokowi Tries Out Mandalika Circuit

President Jokowi tries out Mandalika Circuit located in the Mandalika Special Economic Zone, Central Lombok regency, West Nusa Tenggara province, Friday (12/11). (Photo by: Presidential Secretariat/Kris)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, Friday (12/11), tried out Mandalika Circuit track on his personal bike.

Besides the President, a number of ministers also rode on their bikes along the 4.3 km circuit track. Meanwhile, Minister of State-owned Enterprises Erick Thohir was waiting for them on the start/finish line.

President Jokowi rode on a modified green Kawasaki W175, the same bike he rode on trans-Kalimantan road back in 2019.

“I can’t go fast since the circuit is new and it has just rained. Nevertheless, I think everyone else was behind me,” the President told reporters.

For the record, Mandalika Circuit was built by using stone mastic asphalt (SMA) technology which provides a durable road with high level of water absorption. Therefore, it lowers the possibility of crashing during wet race.

Mandalika Circuit’s track spanning 4.3 km has 17 turns with a long and wide speed trap. The track is also equipped with two service roads, consisting inner service road with 3.8 km in length and 14 meters in width, and outer service road with 4.32 km in length and 14 meters in width, and one pit lane (838 meters in length and 14 meters in width).

“There are 17 sharp turns which are very difficult for me. I think it would be no problem for the racers but it was for me,” the President added.

The Circuit has broken three Indonesian World Records Museum (MURI) records and is projected to break one more record in the near future. The records are ‘the Indonesia’s fastest built circuit track’, ‘the first circuit track meeting the Fédération Internationale de Motorcyclisme (FIM)’s standards’, and ‘the fastest built pit building with modular system’ in international standard circuit. (PRESIDENTIAL SECRETARIAT/AIT) (RAS/MMB)