Just ahead of Foggia was another performance of note: Diogo Moreira (MT Helmets – MSI). The Brazilian took an impressive sixth place and was top rookie by a good number of positions in Qatar, as well as 4.5 seconds of the second debutant. What can he do at Mandalika? With the venue truly brand new for the lightweight class after no pre-season test in Lombok, it could be a lever and the rookies could be ones to watch – with no one else enjoying any experience at the track at all. Moreira will be hoping so, as will the likes of second rookie in Qatar, Ivan Ortola (Angeluss MTA Team), and Joel Kelso (CIP Green Power), who already scored points. Dani Holgado (Red Bull KTM Ajo), meanwhile, arrives as reigning JuniorGP™ Champion but suffered injury struggles in pre-season, so he’ll be keen to move forward and avoid the late race “drop 1 position” penalty that saw him forfeit the final point to Kelso in Qatar.
There’s another rookie who, as he settles in, will likely be…