The construction of the Mandalika street circuit on Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, designed to host events for the world’s premier motorcycle racing class MotoGP, is proceeding to plan with officials expressing optimism the track will be ready by 2021.

“As of today, 30 percent of the ground preparations have been completed, while construction of the full circuit complex is 10 percent complete. This complex is set to be completed in 2021 and will host a MotoGP event in Indonesia for the first time,” Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said during his working visit to Mandalika on Thursday.

Read the full story about the MotoGP Lombok 2021

Indonesia will host a prestigious MotoGP event after securing a deal with Dorna Sports, the MotoGP rights holder, for a race slot in the 2021 season. The deal was sealed in January 2019 by the Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), the state-owned company responsible for developing the Mandalika Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in which the circuit is located. The 1,175-hectare Mandalika SEZ is earmarked to be an entertainment and sports event district.

The circuit operator plans to offer 20,000 pre-sale tickets online in November to gauge the public’s enthusiasm.

The 4.32-kilometer racetrack will have 19 bends, with images of the circuit’s beautiful backdrop of mountains and pristine beaches to be beamed around the world, promoting Mandalika as a world-class tourist destination.

Abdulbar M. Mansoer, the president director of the ITDC, said the circuit would be built as a street circuit that could function as a normal road when not being used for racing events.

“As part of the integrated entertainment and sports district, the area in the middle of the Mandalika circuit will be used as a tourist destination. There will be glamping, commercial areas and condotels built in the area. As was stated, construction is 10 percent complete,” said Abdulbar.

The circuit complex will feature a 50,000 seat grandstand as well as a standing area with a capacity of 138,000. It will also host hospitality suites with a capacity for 7,700 visitors and a paddock area that can fit 40 garages.

Arief Yahya said the 2021 MotoGP would benefit Indonesian tourism, with the event projected to attract 100,000 tourists to Mandalika.

“Hopefully, MotoGP can become Mandalika’s main attraction,” he said.

Mandalika is one of five super-priority tourist destinations the government has earmarked for development as it seeks to achieve its target of 20 million foreign tourists and 375 million domestic tourists next year. The four other super-priority destinations, dubbed the New Balis, are Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Borobudur temple in Central Java, Likupang in North Sulawesi and Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara.

What is the Mandalika Project and why it matters ?