Moto2 rider Senna Agius found himself center-stage in an unexpected roadside spectacle in Lombok Tengah, Nusa Tenggara Barat, when two local children on a Honda Supra with a modified exhaust began revving their engine right beside him. The lighthearted encounter, which ended abruptly when the moped’s engine stalled out during a kick-start attempt, was captured on video and shared by Agius on his Instagram account ahead of the upcoming race weekend at Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit.
Cycling Through Kawasan Ekonomi Khusus Mandalika
Agius was out on a bicycle ride training and exploring the Kawasan Ekonomi Khusus (KEK) Mandalika when he crossed paths with the two young locals stationed on the road’s shoulder. As the rider approached on two wheels, one of the children remained seated on a Honda Supra fitted with a loud, modified exhaust—commonly referred to as a brong exhaust—and proceeded to aggressively twist the throttle in Agius’s direction. The scene contrasted with the structured, high-speed paddock environment the professional rider typically works in during a Grand Prix weekend.
Rather than passing by unbothered, Agius slowed his pace, cycled closer to the pair, and engaged with the roadside performance unfolding along the asphalt edge of the tourism and racing hub.
Stalled Motor and the Instantly Viral Kick-Start Struggle
The comedic turning point of the interaction arrived seconds later when the heavily revved Honda Supra abruptly died. Agius watched the mechanical struggle unfold from his bicycle just inches away, offering a brief word of encouragement by calling out, Kick it,
as the mechanical failure persisted.
Despite the repeated efforts of the child operating the kick starter, the moped remained unresponsive. The failure to restart the vehicle prompted an outburst of laughter from Agius, who later captioned the shared digital clip with the observation, Gen Z in Indo hectic,
as detailed by OtoDream. The lighthearted digital post quickly circulated among motorsport fans tracking the paddock’s arrival in Indonesia ahead of the racing schedule.
Paddock Arrivals and the Road to MotoGP 2027
The casual roadside meeting occurred as the racing community converged on the island of Lombok following the previous Grand Prix round held at Motegi, Japan. For Agius, the Indonesian fixture serves as a key stop before he makes a significant career advancement; the Australian rider is slated to step up to the premier class in 2027, joining KTM Tech 3 as a teammate to Luca Marini.
Such informal interactions between elite competitors and local residents have become a recurring feature of the MotoGP calendar in Indonesia. Previous rounds at the venue saw riders purchasing fuel from roadside corner shops or staging impromptu parodies as ice cream vendors along coastal stretches, demonstrating how competitors spend their downtime adjusting to the local climate and culture before official sessions begin.
Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit Schedule
On-track action at the 4.3-kilometer Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit is scheduled to run from October 9 through October 11, 2026. Friday’s program opens with Free Practice 1 followed by the afternoon Practice session. Saturday features Free Practice 2, the qualifying hours, and the afternoon Sprint Race covering a distance of 13 laps. The main Grand Prix event takes place on Sunday, spanning a total distance of 27 laps.
