The Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia 2026 concluded its Saturday schedule at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit with a 13-lap sprint race, following a day of qualifying sessions that reshaped the grid for the weekend’s primary events, CNN Indonesia reported.
Friday Practice Leaders Give Way to Saturday Qualifying
Action on the Lombok circuit began with practice sessions that saw shifting dominance among the championship contenders. During the opening practice on Friday, Marco Bezzecchi set the pace with a lap time of 1 minute 30.132 seconds, edging out Marc Márquez by 0.237 seconds. Jorge Martín finished the opening session in third, followed by Pedro Acosta and Raúl Fernández. In the subsequent practice session, Fernández claimed the top spot for Trackhouse, pushing Bezzecchi and Martín to second and third respectively, while Márquez slipped to fifth place.
Saturday’s proceedings at the venue in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, commenced with the second free practice sessions for Moto3, Moto2, and MotoGP before transitioning directly into the official qualifying heats. The morning schedule saw riders battle through Q1 and Q2 brackets to establish starting positions ahead of the afternoon sprint race.
Championship Battle Intensifies at the Top
Heading into the weekend’s competition, the premier class standings remained tightly contested at the summit. Jorge Martín held the championship lead with 333 points, closely pursued by Marc Márquez with 331 points—a margin of just two points separating the two riders. Marco Bezzecchi sat third in the standings with 284 points, keeping the pressure on the leaders as the 13-lap Saturday afternoon sprint got underway.
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Beyond the championship fight on the asphalt, the event drew crowds to the venue. According to data from series promoter Dorna cited by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, total attendance across the three-day event reached 157,875 spectators. Friday’s preliminary sessions drew 39,510 attendees, rising to 53,296 on Saturday and culminating with 65,069 fans on Sunday. This figure surpassed previous attendance marks at the circuit, which recorded 140,324 spectators in the previous year, 121,252 in 2024, 102,929 in 2023, and 102,801 during its 2022 running.
Economic Impact and Local Engagement in Lombok
The race weekend also generated notable economic and community activity across the surrounding region. Local residents participated directly in the operations of the Grand Prix, with individuals such as Julian Hariadi from Pujut sub-district working on-site as a circuit marshal. Commercial engagement extended to micro, small, and medium enterprises, including local therapists operating through designated program booths at the venue.
Manufacturer engagement ran parallel to the on-track competition. Yamaha Indonesia brought a contingent of its Platinum-tier loyalty program members to the circuit, providing participants with paddock access and behind-the-scenes tours of the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP team workspace. The program coincided with a victory for Izan Guevara in the Moto2 category, adding a notable result for the brand’s visiting supporters during the race weekend.
Sunday Grand Prix Conclusion
Following Saturday’s qualifying and sprint race fixtures, the 2026 Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia reached its culmination on Sunday with the main Grand Prix races across the Moto3, Moto2, and MotoGP categories.
Worth a look
