Baltus finishes 11th in challenging Indonesian Grand Prix, Van den Goorbergh 17th after debatable penalty

The RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP team had a very good day of racing at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit. Barry Baltus finished 11^th to score five points for the Dutch team while teammate Zonta van den Goorbergh also rode a strong race, but was penalised for an incident on the first lap.

Conditions at Lombok on Sunday afternoon were again tough for the riders with lots of sunshine and high temperatures. Barry Baltus started from 12^th place and had to give up a position on the first lap. The Belgian was in a fierce battle with Marcos Ramirez after which he eventually crossed the finish line in twelfth place. In the end, he was classified 11^th due to a disqualification of another rider. With a total of 31 points, Baltus is now nineteenth in the Moto2 championship.

Zonta van den Goorbergh rode a very good opening phase from twentieth on the grid and had climbed to fourteenth position. Unfortunately, he would be penalised with a double Long Lap penalty for contact with another rider in the first corner of the race. A good result was thus ruled out but the Dutchman did not give up and rode a very strong race. In the end, he crossed the finish line in eighteenth but he too would move up one place in the results afterwards.

Barry Baltus – P11: “This is a good result for me. It was a good race and I enjoyed it. It was very warm but I managed quite well. The pace was until the last lap but we managed to bring it home in a solid 11^th position. It’s a nice result for the team as well, now we need to continue to work like this and keep believing in ourselves that we can do it. We showed that today so hopefully this is the end of a long and dark tunnel that we’ve been in. Now we head to Japan for the next one.”

Zonta van den Goorbergh – P17: “Today’s result is disappointing and I don’t think it’s a good reflection of the speed we had either. My first few laps were good and I went from 20^th on the grid to P14. Unfortunately, I had hit Masià in Turn 1 for which I got a double Long Lap penalty. I can’t say I completely agree with that but there is nothing we can do to change it. It was more a penalty for the consequence rather than a penalty for the action, you didn’t even see my bike shaking either. After the two Long Lap penalties, I was riding in last place and then I managed to have a good race in itself. The lap times were good and I was able to improve the feeling with the bike, but especially at this circuit you’re not going to make up much ground. It’s a real shame to leave here again without points, we certainly didn’t have that in mind. That’s why it will be important to have a good grid position, avoid problems on the opening lap and then have a strong race in Japan.”

Jarno Janssen – RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP team manager: “It was a very good Sunday for us in Indonesia, even though we are left with a bit of a double feeling. The 17^th position for Zonta is obviously disappointing because of something that was not actually an incident. When you go into a corner with 30 bikes you know something can happen. We are of the opinion that it was not an unacceptable action but that double Long Lap penalty is imposed, and then you have to execute it. It is possible to file a protest but for the result it is pointless. It’s a real shame because Zonta had a very strong pace today which was certainly comparable to Barry’s. We have to take the positive from that and the result is ultimately what it is.

Barry also rode a very good race. He had to fight hard but managed to continuously ride good lap times. That 11^th place is a good result and we are happy with that, it is nice that Barry started the overseas trip so well. The same goes for Zonta who just had a very good race pace today.

The Moto2 class is very difficult and it can be frustrating at times. I am very proud of the riders and very proud of the team, we have put two bikes on the grid that are capable of finishing in the top ten. Chapeau to everyone involved in our team and now we are off to Japan.”

The next Grand Prix will be held next weekend from 4 to 6 October at the Mobility Resort Motegi in Japan.