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Four racing greats greet Indonesian fans
Let rip: MotoGP champion Marc Marquez of Spain listens to vice president of Honda Racing Corporation before a racing demo at the Sentul International Circuit in Bogor, West Java, on Tuesday
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span class="inline inline-center">Let rip: MotoGP champion Marc Marquez of Spain listens to vice president of Honda Racing Corporation before a racing demo at the Sentul International Circuit in Bogor, West Java, on Tuesday. JP/Awo
The party is not yet over for some Indonesians, particularly MotoGP fans.
After almost an entire day celebrating the newly installed President Joko Widodo on Monday, some Indonesians remained in a lively mood as four MotoGP riders undertook a promotional tour in Jakarta.
Two-time world champion Marc Marquez and his Repsol Honda teammate, Dani Pedrosa, attended an invitation from PT Astra Honda Motor, while 2006 MotoGP champion Nicky Hayden and 250 GP 2009 champion Hiroshi Aoyama appeared in a series of events prepared by their team's new sponsor, Drive M7 energy drink.
Marquez and Pedrosa, who arrived in Jakarta on Monday, greeted hundreds of fans at the Sentul Circuit, West Java, on Tuesday, while Hayden and Aoyama attended a press conference at a hotel in Kuningan, South Jakarta.
Marquez won the MotoGP championship in his debut year in 2013, and took his back-to-back title this year in Japan when the races had three series to complete.
At the following race last week on Phillip Island, Australia, the 21-year-old Spaniard crashed during his attempt to equal Mick Doohan's record of 12 premier-class GP wins in a single season. He was four seconds clear when he lost control of his front wheel on lap 19 of the 27-lap race on Phillip Island, where Valentino Rossi took the top podium spot.
He is now turning to the last two races in Sepang, Malaysia, and Valencia, Spain.
Commenting on Marquez's domination during the last two seasons, Hayden said Marquez had set the bar high and raised everybody's level at the race.
'He's incredible for sure. He rides in a different way and has pushed the competition, the MotoGP to a new high,' the 33-year-old American rider said.
During the 16 MotoGP races this season, only three other names made it to the top position aside from Marquez. They are Marquez's teammate, Pedrosa, together with Jorge Lorenzo and Rossi.
'There's a lot of competition, a lot of good riders at the moment, but Marc [Marquez] able to win two consecutive titles is something really amazing,' Hayden said.
Hayden on the other hand has not been in good shape since undergoing a series of operations to heal a wrist injury he sustained after a fall during the French Grand Prix MotoGP in May. He only managed to finish 10th at Phillip Island.
'I'm not exactly thrilled with my performance this season. I had a wrist injury and I had to go through three operations in the last eight months. I missed a lot of races and I had not been on my best form, so I apologize to my fans and team.'
'I hope to be in the top 10 of the remaining races and have one more good result that I can be proud of,' Hayden added.
Aoyama also said that this season had been a challenge for him since changing his team and bike at the start of the season. Aoyama previously raced for Avintia Blusens on an FTR before joining Drive M7 Aspar, riding a Honda RCV1000R.
'I changed my bike and my team and it wasn't easy at the beginning but around mid-season, my bike was upgraded and we have made great places in the last couple of races. Now we are going ahead to Malaysia and I think we are in good shape,' said the 32-year-old Japanese rider.
Aoyama finished eighth at last week's Australian Grand Prix MotoGP.
