The Elf Marc VDS Racing Team has travelled over 12,000 kilometres from Misano to the stunning Mandalika Circuit in Indonesia to kick off a sequence of five flyaway races in just six weeks.

• Tony Arbolino and Filip Salac commence the Asia and Australia tour brimming with confidence after both produced strong performances in last weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
• The pair will be on track at 950am local time for FP1 on Friday morning with the 22-lap race in round 15 scheduled to get underway at 1315pm.

/// TONY ARBOLINO

• The Italian made it three podiums in the last three races in 2024 after a stunning victory challenge in Misano last weekend kept his charge towards the top three in the World Championship firmly on course.
• Arbolino claimed sixth place in Indonesia 12 months ago from 10^th position on the grid, but he is aiming higher this weekend to claim four successive top three finishes for the second time in his Moto2 career.
• The 24-year-old has finished in the top 10 in both Moto2 races to take place on the stunning island of Lombok after he took the chequered flag eighth in the inaugural Mandalika Grand Prix in 2022.

“We’ve got the potential to win”

“I still have mixed feelings about last weekend’s race in Misano. On one hand, we did a fantastic job to qualify on the front row and fight for the victory. It felt amazing to have that feeling back again. It was also a little disappointing not to take the win, but we have shown we have the potential to do it. We now start this very busy period of flyaway races and I can’t wait. We have momentum with us now and it is going to be important to carry on this positive run of results in Mandalika. The hot conditions will make it challenging, but I’m prepared and ready to fight at the front again.”

/// FILIP SALAC

• Top 10 finishes in three of the last four rounds means optimism is high for Salac going into the flyaway swing that will see Japan, Australia, Thailand and Malaysia follow this weekend’s action in Indonesia.
• Salac is looking forward to tackling the Mandalika track once again after he qualified on the front row last year and was only 0.016s away from claiming a sensational pole position.
• The Czech rider is now fully focused on delivering another competitive display this weekend to extend his impressive recent streak of points scoring finishes.

 “We need to continue this strong run”

“I really love this tour of Asia coming up and I can’t wait to get started this weekend in Indonesia. The tracks in this part of the world are bigger and faster and it is always a special feeling because the fans are also very passionate and give us great support. Last year I qualified on the front row but unfortunately I didn’t finish the race, so I feel I’ve unfinished business and this weekend is all about continuing this strong current run of results and getting closer to the front.”