Indonesia set for MotoGP contract extension?

Indonesia's Mandalika circuit may still be under construction, but the venue is reported to have already agreed on a substantial MotoGP contract extension.

The twisty track, said to be 30% complete, is due to host its inaugural MotoGP event in 2021.

An initial agreement with the Mandalika Grand Prix Association is then set to expire in 2023, but MGPA's Chief Strategic Communication Officer Happy Harinto told CNNIndonesia.com:

"We, MGPA as a whole, have held official talks with Dorna. We have also done correspondence. We have received an approval to hold a MotoGP for 10 years, only we are still preparing the legal [contracts]."

Competing the contracts is expected to take longer than usual due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Harinto insisted circuit construction remained on course: "Up to now everything is on schedule."

Indonesia last hosted a MotoGP round in 1997, at Sentul, and spent several years in search of a venue that would meet modern standards before completing the Mandalika deal.

MotoGP is currently aiming to rescue ten of its planned 20 events this season, but the knock-on effect from the coronavirus is also expected to force changes to the 2021 calendar.

WorldSBK is also set to make its debut at the Mandilika circuit, which is on the island of Lombok, near Bali, in 2021.