Soeharto to open Marlboro Indonesian Grand Prix '97<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto will open the Marlboro
\nIndonesian motorcycle Grand Prix '97 at Sentul on Sept. 28.<\/p>\n
Minister of Youth and Sport Affairs Hayono Isman said
\nyesterday that Soeharto said he would open the Grand Prix after a
\nmeeting recently.<\/p>\n
\"Soeharto said that Indonesia should keep holding Grand Prix
\nmotorcycle races because the Sentul circuit has received
\nrecommendations for world-class motorcycle and car racing from
\nboth the world motorcycle federation (FIM) and the world auto
\nraces controlling body (FIA),\" Hayono said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Grand Prix '97 is the 14th leg of the 15 leg
\nseries, the final race will be on Philip Island, in Australia, on
\nOct. 12.<\/p>\n
This will be the second Grand Prix in Indonesia. The first was
\nlast year.<\/p>\n
Tickets for this year's Grand Prix will cost Rp 100,000 for
\nthe grandstands, and Rp 20,000 for entry to trackside enclosures.<\/p>\n
The first leg of the Grand Prix series was in Shah Alam,
\nMalaysia, on April 13. The second was in Suzuka, Japan (April
\n20), the third was in Spain (May 4), the fifth in Italy (May 18),
\nthe sixth in Austria (June 1), the seventh in the Netherlands
\n(June 28), the eighth in Italy (July 6), the ninth in Germany
\n(July 20), the 10th in Brazil (Aug. 3) and the 11th in England
\n(Aug. 17).<\/p>\n
The Czech Republic will host the 12th leg, on Aug. 31, and
\nSpain the 13th, on Sept. 14.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Grand Prix '97 will feature three races, the
\n125cc, 250cc and the 500cc.<\/p>\n
Australian world champion Michael Doohan will lead the world
\nranked riders.<\/p>\n
Doohan had 270 points after the 11th leg of the series in
\nEngland, on Aug. 17.<\/p>\n
Valentino Rossi of Italy will race in the 125cc event. Max
\nBiaggi (Italy), Ralph Waldman (Denmark) and Tetsuya Harada
\n(Japan) will race in the 250cc event.<\/p>\n
Doohan has won four world Grand Prix championship titles
\nbetween 1994 and 1997. Doohan won last year's event at Sentul.<\/p>\n
The racers will compete for a total cash prize of US$2.1
\nmillion (Rp 7 billion), and trophies.<\/p>\n
Director of the Sentul circuit, Tinton Soeprapto, said the
\ncircuit was ready for Grand Prix '97.<\/p>\n
\"We have done some repairs to the circuit, particularly to fix
\nthe bumpy parts. Race tests are being conducted, and FIM will
\ncheck the track soon,\" Tinton said.<\/p>\n
Tinton, a former leading national car racer, said he hoped the
\nGrand Prix would attract more spectators. \"Marlboro will hand out
\nhats to the first 10,000 people and give out free soft drinks.\"
\n(lnt)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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