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Wednesday, August 13:  Hungarian racer György Kasza made up for the disappointment of missing out on Moto 1 success by taking victory and the maximum 25 points for a 35.401-second victory in Moto 2 at the Grand Prix of Indonesia on Wednesday afternoon.

Kasza said: “I am happy to win. This was the plan. After the start I was second and I tried to push Lino (Araùjo) and I know that he would not push hard because a third, fourth or fifth is enough for him. I pass him but there are another four Motos. It is a long championship and, tomorrow, we will try to do our best.”

Portugal’s Lino Araùjo looked to have followed up his earlier success in Moto 1 with the runner-up spot as well as the overnight lead in the UIM-ABP Class Pro World Endurance Championship after two of the week’s six Motos. But he was penalised 30 seconds for a jump start, slipped to fourth and that lifted Jakarta-based youngster Boanerges Ratag into second place and a similar position in the World Endurance Championship. Australia’s Scott Phillips rounded off the podium places in the Moto.

Ratag said: “The second race, the conditions were rough. A wave hit me and I got hit in the ribs but it’s all good. I maintained my speed and could not catch the first place. But I feel amazing after the two Motos.”

Nineteen riders lined up to tackle the second of the 40-minute Motos in brighter weather conditions than they had faced in the morning. Moto 1 winner Lino Araùjo made the strongest start and took the hole shot in front of György Kasza, Boanerges Ratag, Scott Phillips, Kiwi female rider Kylie Ellmers, last year’s World Championship runner-up Anthony Radetic, Jay Finlinson and Rasmus Koch Hansen.

Indonesia’s Trinity Ratat and Makaio Wimylie were joined on the list of non-starters by Japanese rider Isahai Hajime, who had suffered a piston failure in Moto 1 and was forced to make repairs in the pits.

Araùjo slipped behind Kasza on the opening lap and the Hungarian began to edge away from his rivals through the opening three laps. By lap eight, Kasza led Araùjo by 5.572 seconds with Ratag, Phillips and Ellmers running inside the top five. Yoko Sosie withdrew after four laps and Mario Lamy lasted for just five tours of the Lake Toba course on this occasion, while Adrian Herias Fernandez was struggling at the rear of the field, several laps behind the leaders.

As the Moto reached its halfway point after 20 minutes, Kasza had increased his cushion over Araùjo to 7.732 seconds but the leaders held their positions with the top nine running on the same lap. Ratag, Phillips and Ellmers were still running in the top five but Radetic was applying the pressure on Ellmers in the tussle for fifth.

With 10 minutes of the heat to run, after 20 laps, Kasza led Araùjo by 10.560 seconds with the impressive young Boanerges Ratag retaining third place, ahead of Phillips, Ellmers, Radetic, Koch Hansen, Finlinson, Bailey Cunningham and 10th-placed Kanina Ramadhina of the host nation. Koch Hansen then took a tumble and slipped behind Finlinson and Cunningham into ninth.

Kasza held on to secure a 19.953-second win from an easing Araùjo and Ratag earned his second podium finish of the weekend to slot into second in the championship standings behind the Portuguese.

Phillips, Ellmers, Radetic, Finlinson, Cunningham, Hilman Kurniawan and Fikri Rajab rounded off the top 10 after Koch Hansen lost further time and slipped out of contention after 20 of the 27 laps. Ramadhina finished 11th.

But the penalty pushed Araùjo down to fourth place after the Moto had finished and lifted Phillips on to the podium. That result meant that Ratag climbed to second place in Moto 2.

Riders return to the race course in Balige for the third and fourth of the Endurance Motos on Thursday.