Indonesia’s 15-year-old racer Doni Tata Pradita said on Friday his goal was to climb to the number-one ranking in the 125cc class of the World Championships.
Doni, who rides the Yamaha TZ 125, is making his first ever appearance in the championship series as a wild card entrant at the Malaysian Motocycle Grand Prix which begins here on Friday.
”My idol is world champion Valentino Rossi. I want to become a world champion,” he said.
Fellow Yamaha rider Rossi is hoping to claim his seventh world championship title at Sepang.
Doni, who won the Underbone 115cc title in the Asian Road Racing Championships in Sepang recently, is seen as one of the most promising motorcycling stars in Southeast Asia.
Born in Jogjakarta, Doni is the youngest Indonesian to compete in the World Championships.
However, the teenager played down his chances of a good finish at Sepang.
”I just hope I will be able to qualify for Sunday’s race. My TZ 125 is underpowered. The Honda and Aprila bikes have greater speed on the straights,” he said.
Two other wild card entries for the Malaysian GP are China’s Li Zhengpeng and Wang Zhu. Both will ride in the 250cc class. – AFP
