Mataram. The Mandalika Circuit on Indonesia’s Lombok Island is in its final stages of preparation for the 15th MotoGP race of the season, with the free practice sessions set to begin on Friday.

The Indonesian Grand Prix will kick off MotoGP’s five-nation Asian tour, before concluding the 2024 season in Valencia, Spain.

Riders are heading into this intense triple-header just days after the race in Misano, Italy. Following the Mandalika race, they will quickly move on to Japan in a week’s time.

Championship leader Jorge Martin arrived in Bali shortly after extending his lead over reigning champion Francesco Bagnaia by finishing second in Misano on Sunday. The Spanish rider shared a photograph of himself exercising at a Bali hotel, taking advantage of the island's more frequent international flight connections compared to nearby Lombok.

Martin has yet to finish a Sunday race at Mandalika. His title hopes were dashed at the same circuit last year when he crashed, while Bagnaia secured victories in both the Friday sprint and the main race.

This year, the two riders approach Mandalika under very different circumstances. Martin holds a 24-point lead over Bagnaia, who suffered a crash in Misano.

Other riders are scheduled to arrive on Wednesday and will participate in a public event in Mataram, the capital of West Nusa Tenggara, before heading to Lombok for the race.

The Mandalika Grand Prix Association (MGPA), which operates the circuit, plans to launch the MotoGP Museum at the Mandalika compound just before Friday's free practice session. The museum, developed in collaboration with MotoGP rights holder Dorna Sports, will showcase historic items, photographs, and memorabilia celebrating MotoGP’s legacy.

The five-day turnaround between the Misano race and the free practice session in Mandalika presents significant logistical challenges for all teams. Reports suggest that at least five Boeing 777 cargo planes are required to transport equipment over the 12,000-kilometer journey from Italy to Mandalika.