Fernandez heads to Indonesia, Gajser confirms comeback

Team HRC’s Ruben Fernandez travels to Indonesia this week as he gets ready to race the first of the double-header in the Asian country. First up is the return to the island Sumbawa, which provided an excellent venue at its debuting event last year. That is then followed by a new round on Lombok, on July 1-2, an island that has successfully hosted MotoGP for the last few years.

On a trip that normally consists of three flights, these races aren’t easy to get to, but the hugely enthusiastic and vocal local population make up for that, bringing great energy and making everyone in the paddock feel truly welcome. Fernandez took advantage of that last year when he went three-four for third overall, in what was his second MXGP podium of his career. Given the fact he’s riding a lot better this time around, and coming off the back of his third podium of the season in Germany last time out, hopes are high that he can make it number four at the incredible Sumbawa facility.

Meanwhile in Slovenia, reigning MXGP champion Tim Gajser announced in a press conference at his Tiga243land track that he will return to the world motocross championship at the MXGP of the Czech Republic on July 15-16. The #243 has missed the entire 2023 season up to this point due to a broken femur he sustained in the pre-season crash at the Pietramurata track in Trentino, Italy in February and has been in rehabilitation since that moment. Now though, after receiving the green light from his doctor, he will race at Loket, where a lot of Slovenians should be able to make the trip north to see their returning hero in action.

That race is still just over three weeks away, giving Gajser a bit more time to prepare himself for the rigours of MXGP duty, while the rest of the team support Fernandez as he looks to step on the podium again and continue his chase for third place in the 2023 world championship standings.