Sentul International Circuit
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| Location | Babakan Madang, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia |
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| Time zone | GMT+7 |
| Major events | ATCC, GP2 Asia, Asian F3, Formula BMW Asia, Formula V6 Asia, MotoGP |
| Length | 4.12 km (2.56 mi) |
| Turns | 11 |
| Lap record | 1:15.686 (Bruno Senna, Trust Team Arden, 2008) |
Sentul International Circuit is a permanent motor racing circuit located in Babakan Madang, Bogor. Away from the Toll Gate of Jakarta towards Bogor, Indonesia.[1] Its pit facilities got easy access from the Jagorawi Toll Road. The course (run clockwise) is actually a truncated version of the original design. The current circuit, shortened by 40 percent compared to the original design, is predominantly used for motorcycle racing and the Asian F3 series. Sentul is a relatively simple, smooth, broad track with large runoff areas, enabling non-bumpy and smooth driving at racing speeds. Sentul has a 900-metre (3,000 ft) main straight that allows speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour (190 mph) before slowing for the right-hand Turn 1. The only truly high-speed corner at Sentul is Turn 2. The fastest driver on four-wheel machine can do 220 kilometres per hour (140 mph), and the fastest rider can do 190 kilometres per hour (120 mph) on two-wheel machines. They can take Turn 2 as a complex "S" bend when they get out from the tighter Turn 1 at around 140 kilometres per hour (87 mph). The wide corners allow good passing with various racing lines.
Sentul is located in Bogor Regency. It is a hilly area and a bit cooler than the tropical city of Jakarta. However, the track can still get extremely hot under direct sunlight. It is also humid and wet as well. Such characteristics cause distress to European tuners, riders and drivers who are accustomed to cooler climates.[2]
Contents
History
Sentul International Circuit was designed to meet the Formula One motor racing standard. The project was also the first serious attempt outside Japan to meet such a standard in Asia. The vision came to Indonesia around 1990 when Hutomo Mandala Putra, motor racing enthusiast and son of President Suharto, began promoting the construction of a track at Sentul. Racing had previously been held at the short, tight and relatively dangerous Ancol Circuit, on the Java Sea coast in north Jakarta. In August 1993, the circuit was officially opened by Suharto.[1]
While Sentul International Circuit was intended to be Indonesia's Formula One showcase to the world, and indeed an Indonesian Grand Prix was held in 1993 for the Australian-based Formula Holden series as a demonstration. However, its tight corners and shortened length (4.12 km in total) rendered it unsuitable for the fast and furious world of Formula One. The domino effect from the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis worsened the situation and made motor racing an unaffordable luxury for many Indonesian enthusiasts who had been participating. The 1993 facility also has been overshadowed by the Sepang International Circuit completed in 1999 with a superior track layout and facilities when compares to Sentul. Sentul does, however, continue to serve as a safe course for drivers competing in the Pertamina Fastron Asian Formula 3 Super Series, Formula V6 Asia, Formula BMW Pacific, ATCS, Carrera Cup Asia, National Superbike Races and similar events.
During the mid-2000s the circuit held 2 rounds of the A1 Grand Prix of Nations, in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons respectively.
MotoGP is set to return to Indonesia in 2017, however is dependant on finding the 15 billion rupiah required to get the circuit up to FIM Grade 1.[3] Due to the rapid rise in popularity of Formula One in Indonesia following the debut of Rio Haryanto in 2016, Formula One Management are said to be looking into the viability of holding a race at Sentul providing the upgrades are given the green light.
Track description
- Track length: 4.12 km (2.56 mi)
- Width: 15 metres (49 ft)
- Longest straight: 900 metres (3,000 ft)
- FIA Grade 2 track license
- 50 pit garages
- 2 covered grandstands
Other facilities include:
- Motocross, Autocross and Go-Karts Circuits
- Three-star International Hotel
- Bungalows / Guest House
- International Golf Course
- Restaurant
- Recreation Centre
Events
Indonesian motorcycle Grand Prix
| Season | Winner 500cc | Winner 250cc | Winner 125cc | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 |  Michael Doohan |
 Tetsuya Harada |
Masaki Tokudome |
report |
| 1997 | Tadayuki Okada |
 Max Biaggi |
Valentino Rossi |
report |
A1 Grand Prix
| Season | Sprint Race Winner | Feature Race Winner | Report |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-06 |  Nicolas Lapierre |
 Sean McIntosh |
report |
| 2006-07 |  Jonny Reid |
Jonny Reid |
report |
GP2 Asia
| Season | Race 1 Winner | Race 2 Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 |  Sébastien Buemi |
 Fairuz Fauzy |
Asian Formula 3
Series 2005
| Round | Race Winner | Fastest Lap |
|---|---|---|
| 10 |  Tyson Sy |
Tyson Sy (1'24.594) |
| 9 | Tyson Sy |
Tyson Sy (1'24.791) |
| 8 |  Ananda Mikola |
 John O'Hara (1'25.092) |
| 7 | John O'Hara |
John O'Hara (1'25.221) |
Series 2006
| Round | Race Winner | Fastest Lap |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Cancelled | Cancelled |
| 14 |  James Winslow |
Alistair Jackson (1'25.929) |
| 13 | James Winslow |
James Winslow (1'26.011) |
| 12 | James Winslow |
James Winslow (1'26.447) |
| 11 | James Winslow |
James Winslow (1'26.179) |
| 10 | James Winslow |
James Winslow (1'26.167) |
References
External links
- Official Website
- Trackpedia's guide to racing and driving the Sentul Circuit
- Track info from AFOS Official Website
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