Lombok. Indonesia has yet to decide whether to extend its agreement to host MotoGP at the Mandalika International Circuit beyond 2026, with the current five-year contract expiring this year and the government awaiting a final decision from President Prabowo Subianto.

MotoGP's official website now displays a provisional 2027 calendar listing Mandalika for Oct. 31, 2027.

Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir said Sunday that the government supported the continuation of the international motorcycle racing event but had not committed to renewing the contract for the 2027 season.

He said the decision required coordination among several ministries and government institutions, reflecting the scale of the financial and organizational commitments involved in hosting MotoGP.

"We will wait for the president's decision, and he will announce it himself," Erick said in Lombok.

Erick expressed his personal support for keeping MotoGP in Mandalika, citing the event's contribution to Indonesia's sports development, international visibility and tourism industry.

However, he stopped short of confirming that the government would exercise its option to extend the hosting agreement.

Dorna Signals Support for Extension
The uncertainty comes despite positive signals from MotoGP commercial rights holder Dorna Sports, which has indicated its willingness to continue holding races at Mandalika through 2031.

Dorna Sports Deputy CEO Carlos Ezpeleta said Friday that the existing arrangement was based on a five-year contract with an option for a further five-year extension.

Under that framework, the original agreement covers the 2022–2026 period, while a renewal would allow Mandalika to remain on the MotoGP calendar from 2027 through 2031.

On the Indonesian side, any decision to extend the agreement would require consultations involving the Youth and Sports Ministry, Finance Ministry and state investment management company Danantara Indonesia, among other stakeholders.

Mandalika initially hosted MotoGP in March 2022, when heavy rain delayed the inaugural race, eventually won by Portugal's Miguel Oliveira. 

The Indonesian Grand Prix moved to October the following year, placing it within MotoGP's late-season Asia-Pacific schedule alongside races in Australia, Thailand and Malaysia. 

The new slot also shifted the event away from Lombok's wetter early-year conditions, although organizers have not publicly established weather as the primary reason for the change.

Add as a preferred source on Google +