Ahead of the 𓃲first Indonesian MotoGP event since 1997, a special parade waved off b💧y the country's President Jokowi took place on the streets of the capital Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon.

20 riders from the MotꦑoGP, Moto2, Moto3 and Asia Talent Cup classes, plus Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta and Chief Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta, were in attendance for the 4km ride.

"It's been an incredible event, with all the riders helping us a lot with this promotion," said Carmelo Ezpeleta. "Indonesia is one of the biggest coun🍌tr𒉰ies in the world for MotoGP.

"We're very proud to be received in the🎃 palace by the President, it's something amazing and we appreciate it so much. We're so happy to do that, the effort made by the race organisers to make this parade happen with all the riders has been something really impressivꦅe.

"We knew from many years ago when we were here that MotoGP in Indonesia is very popu♛lar. We think it will be a very nice event and something really important for the sport.

"We hope it will be the first of many; we have a long term agreement to race in Indone꧙sia. It's a n🔜ew organisation and a new circuit but everyone has worked together to make it a success."

All the President's men.

The President set the parade in motion by waving a chequered flag, with local riders from Honda, Suzuki,𒊎 Ducati and Yamaha fan clubs also joining the train of bikes making their way through central Jakarta from Merdeka Palace to the Kem🌱pinski Hotel.

Once at their destination, the riders parked their machinery, greeted the fans and threw a few knee sliders, bꦡefore heading to this weekend's inaugural MotoGP at the new✨ Mandalika circuit, located two hours flying time from Jakarta on the island of Lombok (next to Bali).

"Many years ago we came here to Indonesia for Honda events, and fr🐟om my first [visit] I've felt like pe൲ople follow MotoGP a lot and it's something amazing," said eight time world champion Marc Marquez.

"They deserve a a GP and they'll have a 𒐪GP! We'll race this weekend for the first time for a long ti♈me in Indonesia, it will be a big event for the country and for MotoGP."

Repsol Honda won the last Indonesian Grand Prix, held at Sentul in 1997, cꦦourtesy of Tadayuki Okada. Could Marquez, fifth in the Qatar season🎃-opener, make it a Repsol repeat?

"Qatar was a good start. You always want more, to ജbe on the podium and try to win, but Qatar is a circuit where we struggle, it wasn't a bad start. But here and in the next races, we will see and understand more our situation," he said.

"We need to 🧔start to understand better, to show our speed i🧸f we can, but I feel better and better and that's the most important thing."

Here are further pictures from the event: