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Friday, August 15: Indonesian teenager Boanerges Ratag rewrote the history books in sensational fashion by becoming the 2025 UIM-ABP Class Pro World Endurance Champion after the sixth Moto at the Grand Prix of Indonesia on Friday.
The 16-year-old student from Jakarta belied his immaturity and limited experience on the world stage to deliver a stunning series of Moto performances over the three days on Sumatra’s Lake Toba. He headed into the final race heat with a 16-point cushion over American Jay Finlinson and another stunning victory by 9.442 seconds was more than enough to secure the title, become the youngster ever World Champion and etch his name into Indonesian sporting folklore.
An ecstatic Ratag said: “I didn’t have to win that race but I wanted to make the race end special. I pushed hard and got number one. I feel so amazing. Thanks to everyone who have enabled me to win this race.”
Fourth overall for Finlinson enabled the Indiana-based rider to claim the runner-up spot in the World Championship from American veteran and last year’s runner-up Anthony Radetic. Adrian Herias Fernandez and Scott Phillips finished second and third in the final Moto. Melbourne-based Kiwi Kylie Ellmers struggled with technical issues in the final heat after holding third position early on. Those problems cost her a potential podium finish in the World Championship by just two points.
Just 15 of the 22 entrants took the start of the final 40-minute Moto. There was just too little time for Portugal’s Lino Araùjo to repair his ski in the time available after his Moto 5 retirement and he joined György Kasza, Trinity Ratat, Bailey Cunningham, Mario Lamy, Rasmus Koch Hansen and Isahai Hajime on the list of non-starters.
Adrian Herias Fernandez grabbed the hole shot from champion-elect Ratag, Makaio Wimylie, Scott Phillips and Kylie Ellmers, only for Ellmers to pass Phillips on lap one to snatch fourth place. The Kiwi then moved ahead of Wimylie to grab third but the early surprise was Finlinson running down in sixth.
Wimylie slipped back over the next couple of laps and Finlinson took full advantage to grab fifth place with Anthony Radetic climbing to sixth from Kanina Ramadhina, Wimylie, Fikri Rajab and Pramudya Kumara.
Fernandez retained a 2.459-second lead over Ratag into lap seven but the leading 10 riders held their positions into the second half of the Moto. Phillips was then able to pass Ellmers and move into third and Ellmers was also overtaken by Finlinson and Radetic within seconds, as the Kiwi slipped back to sixth before grinding to a halt with engine issues and smoke coming from the ski.
Cruel luck for Ellmers lifted Wimylie to sixth and Ramadhina, Rajab, Kumara and Hilman Kurniawan into the top 10 with the Kiwi languishing in 11th place ahead of Anderson Dos Santos.
Ratag hit the front on lap 19 and began to pull away from Fernandez with Phillips also beginning to apply some pressure on the Portuguese. The Indonesian held his nerve and maintained his composure over the closing laps to record a memorable second Moto win of the weekend and the prestigious World Endurance Championship title.
Fernandez, Phillips, Finlinson and Radetic rounded off the top five with Wimylie, Ramadhina, Rajab, Kumara and Hilman Kurniawan wrapping up the top 10. Ellmers struggled at the rear of the field in 15th after completing 19 of the 27 laps.