Shamen shenanigans in Indonesia

March 22, 2022

MotoGP Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia. Mandalika Circuit. 20.3.22

Quali:

After a lacklustre start to his season with a P9 in Qatar, Fabio Quartararo showed why he is the current World Champion by putting his Yamaha M1 on Pole. P2 was Jorge Martin and P3 Johann Zarco, on the Pramac Racing Ducatis. Marc Marquez was a non-starter, after four crashes, the last of which sent him to hospital for a check-up with a concussion, not surprising as it was a massive high-side at 110 mph.

Moto3 and Moto2 were dry races (see the reports) but when it came to MotoGP, the torrential rain this area of the world is known for, appeared with a vengeance. They brought a lady Shamen over from Bali, and she had said no rain, many doubted her wisdom, and just as they did, she appeared, singing bowl in hand, walking down pit lane in the pouring rain, looking determined to send the water back to the skies!

There had been a delay of over one and a half hours, then suddenly the rain stopped, maybe the lady Shamen was on to something! Lusail has lights, Mandalika does not, so the race was reduced from 27 to 20 laps to ensure the safety of the riders. So, at last, the enthusiasm of the crowd who had waited in the rain was to be rewarded. Even the President of Indonesia was there waiting patiently for the first premier class race in his country for 25 years.

The Race:

Fabio Quartararo had a textbook start from the line, holding off the rest of the pack as they settled into understanding the wet conditions, being P1 in these conditions means no spray on the visor and confidence in your riding. Sensationally Miguel Oliveira came from P7 to second behind Quartararo, with Jack Miller in P3.

On lap two, with Fabio trying to avoid the puddles, Oliveira slid past him and with him Jack Miller; Rins, Zarco and Morbidelli following a little further back. Soon Miller was in P1, a rider known to go well in these conditions, but Oliveria and Quartararo were holding station, not letting Jack gap them in any way. With 15 laps to go of this shortened race, Miguel Oliveira was showing the rest of the field how to handle the conditions, with nearly a second gap over Miller in P2, who in turn had a 1.6 second gap on Alex Rins now in P3, Zarco P4 and Fabio Quartararo P5.

Half race distance, with ten laps to go and Miguel Oliveira, was holding P1 with a 2.970 gap over Miller in P2. Rins was holding P3, Zarco P4 and Fabio P5. By this stage, Jorge Martin had slid out of the race and others were having “moments” including Pecco Bagnaia with a nasty tank slapper, having to leave the track and on to a runoff area to keep it together. Wet races are often a lottery or the preserve of the specialists, so to speak, who seem to relish such conditions. In this race though, one rider stood out in terms of race craft and planning, and that was Fabio Quartararo, El Diablo having put his wet race demons into a box somewhere, with five laps to go he was in P2, Oliveira 4.724 seconds ahead, Miller now in P4, having lost his place to Zarco now holding P3. Three laps to go and Fabio posted the fastest lap of the race at 1:38.749, 1.1 seconds a lap faster than Miguel, was the race to P1 on or was it too risky for Fabio in these still terrible conditions?

Over the line, it was Miguel Oliveira for a brilliant well-judged win, with Fabio Quartararo P2 and Johann Zarco P3. Fabio showed the hallmark of a world champion and took the twenty points, having ridden a superb calculated race, he said afterwards “It felt like a win”, and in terms of the championship, it surely was.