Indonesian motorcycle racer Mario Aji will officially make his Grand Prix debut at the Moto 3 Emilia Romagna in Misano , Italy, 22-24 October, and the Moto3 Algarve in Portimao , Portugal, 5-7 November. This was announced on the official MotoGP website , Friday (8/10/2021).

Mario is currently competing in the Moto3 Junior World Championship with the Junior Talent Team. In the Moto3 races in Misano and Portimao later, he will also race with wildcard facilities with Honda Team Asia .

Mario’s participation was also confirmed by the Astra Honda Racing Team via Instagram. This news certainly makes motorcycle racing fans in the country proud, because Mario will also go down the track with another Indonesian rider on the same team, Andi ‘Gilang’ Farid Izdihar.

Indonesian Prayers Answered
“YES… Your prayers have been answered. @mariosuryoaj1 can finally feel the heat of the world championship competition in the Moto3 class this season. Not just one round, Mario was revealed as a wildcard in two rounds, at the Misano GP and the Algarve GP. Come on, give your best wishes for the best son of Indonesia in the world championship motorcycle racing stage,” wrote Astra Honda Racing Team.

Mario himself also admitted that he was very happy to get this opportunity, and promised to learn as much as possible. Through Instagram, he also thanked those who made this dream come true, including his family.

“Alhamdulillah, what a happy announcement. A great opportunity has come! I will undergo a wildcard in two races at the Emilia Romagna and Algarve Grand Prix. Thank you to everyone who has been involved! Especially my family,” wrote Mario.

Message from the Father
As my dad always said, enjoy every tough time and believe in yourself! He must be proud and he is a person who really deserves to see this, ‘ continued Mario.

Mario is known to have started his journey in the Road to MotoGP program through the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup, sitting fifth in 2018 after winning one victory and three podiums. After that, he moved to the Moto3 Junior World Championship and the Red Bull Rookies Cup.

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4 MotoGP Riders Dropped Out of Red Bull Rookies Cup, Junior Event Joined by Mario Suryo Aji

Despite hosting prestigious world championships such as MotoGP , Moto2, Moto3, and MotoE, Dorna Sports is known to really care about the development program for young drivers. They have won countless junior events, from the Asia Talent Cup, British Talent Cup, to the Northern Talent Cup.

However, before holding events titled ‘talent cup’, Dorna Sports actually first held the Red Bull Rookies Cup event . This event was first held in 2007, and has proven to be able to orbit big names who are now even competing in MotoGP as the world’s greatest motorcycle racing championship.

The Red Bull Rookies Cup is also a bridge for Indonesian racers before finishing in a higher world championship, namely Mario Suryo Aji, or better known as Mario Aji. The rider built by PT Astra Honda Motor has even succeeded in stealing attention this season.

In the second race in the Jerez Series, Spain, on Sunday (2/5/2021), Mario successfully finished fifth. Mario has done a total of four races and he can always finish in the points zone. Who are the MotoGP racers who graduated from the Red Bull Rookies Cup?

Johann Zarco
Johann Zarco, who is currently defending Pramac Racing, was the first Red Bull Rookies Cup champion in 2007. On his way to MotoGP, he became the Moto2 world champion twice in 2015 and 2016.

An achievement that failed to be followed by any racer in the Moto2 class. Until now, Zarco has tasted nine podiums in MotoGP and this season is one of Ducati’s mainstay riders even though his team is a satellite team.

Joan Mir
Before hitting the Grand Prix with the 2017 Moto3 and 2020 MotoGP world titles, Joan Mir was the Red Bull Rookies Cup runner-up in 2014.

The Spaniard was also listed as the first Red Bull Rookies Cup dropout to feel the MotoGP world champion title. This season is Mir’s third season in MotoGP and he is currently defending Suzuki Ecstar.

Jorge Martin
Competing fiercely with Mir in the Red Bull Rookies Cup, Jorge Martin was the champion of the event in 2014. A year earlier, he even performed brilliantly by sitting in the runner-up rank.

In 2018, Martin also successfully won the Moto3 world title and has become the target of many manufacturers in MotoGP. Martin finally rose to the highest class this season with Pramac Racing, in tandem with Zarco.

This rider nicknamed Martinator immediately stole the attention when he grabbed pole position in the Doha Series as well as on the podium after finishing third.

Brad Binder
Brad Binder’s career was not too flashy when he fell in the Red Bull Rookies Cup. He only sat in fifth place in 2010. However, he showed fantastic talent when he won Moto3 2016.

After being runner-up in Moto2 2019, he went up to MotoGP with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, and the South African rider immediately kicked off by winning the Czech Series, which was his third race in the highest class.