David Almansa leads Moto3 Mandalika FP1 as Veda Pratama finishes tenth

Veda Ega Pratama secured a top-10 finish during the opening free practice session at the Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit, clocking a lap time of 1 minute 38.746 seconds to place tenth overall, according to reports from ridertua.com. Running in front of home fans at the 2026 Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, the Honda Team Asia rider finished 1.231 seconds behind session leader David Almansa.

Opening Practice Performance at Mandalika

The Moto3 field took to the Lombok circuit on Friday morning, October 9, 2026, with David Almansa setting the benchmark. The Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP rider topped the timesheets with a lap of 1 minute 37.515 seconds, outpacing Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Alvaro Carpe by 0.526 seconds. Maximo Quiles of the CFMOTO Aspar Team finished third, trailing the leader by 0.691 seconds after holding the top spot during the early stages of the practice.

Veda showed competitive pace from the outset. CNN Indonesia noted that the Indonesian rider briefly climbed as high as fourth in the opening minutes before sliding back into the lower half of the top ten. As the session wound down with twenty minutes remaining, Veda sat eighth, 0.833 seconds off the leading pace set by Quiles at that time. He maintained a steady rhythm through the final stretches, ultimately locking down the tenth position.

Veda Leads 2026 Moto3 Rookie Class

Among the 2026 Moto3 rookie class, Veda produced the highest-placed result on Friday morning. CNN Indonesia highlighted that Veda outperformed Danish by two places as both riders worked to climb through a crowded grid.

Behind them, other rookies filled out the mid-field order, with Brian Uriarte taking fourteenth, Rico Salmela sixteenth, Casey O’Gorman eighteenth, Jesus Rios nineteenth, Zen Mitani twenty-second, and Leo Rammerstorfer twenty-third. Veda also finished ahead of his Honda Team Asia teammate, Zen Mitani, who managed a best lap of 1:39.660.

Fans Arrive at Mandalika as Police Maintain Security

Grandstands around the Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit began filling early Friday morning as spectators arrived bearing banners, team shirts, and flags to support domestic competitors. Kompas reported that fans traveled from various regions, including Cirebon and Bekasi, specifically to watch Veda and fellow Indonesian rider Mario Aji on home soil.

Away from the tarmac, local law enforcement maintained a visible security footprint across the region. Tribrata News NTB reported that personnel from the Nusa Tenggara Barat Regional Police Mobile Brigade (Satbrimob Polda NTB)—operating under the Mandalika Rinjani 2026 Operation—deployed an escape team led by IPDA L Kresna Seni Wardana to secure the “Rider Goes To School” side event at SDN 2 Kuta, located in the Pujut district in Central Lombok.