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Who Is Veda Pratama?
Veda Ega Pratama is an Indonesian motorcycle racer competing in the 2026 Moto3 World Championship for Honda Team Asia. Born on 23 November 2008 in Wonosari, Gunungkidul Regency, Yogyakarta, Pratama entered Grand Prix racing at seventeen years old. He races with the number 9, having previously used the number 54 across his developmental seasons on the Road to MotoGP ladder.
Pratama represents Honda Team Asia alongside his Japanese teammate Zen Mitani within the lightweight class. Beyond his team arrangement, he became an official Red Bull athlete in early 2026. This partnership made him the first Indonesian rider and the only Asian competitor across Grand Prix motorcycle racing to hold a full Red Bull contract during the 2026 season.
Early Career and Family Racing Roots
Pratama grew up in Wonosari within the Special Region of Yogyakarta, a district without established traditions in top-tier motorsport. His passion began under the guidance of his father, Sudarmono, a former motorcycle racer in the Indonesian National Supersport 600 Championship. Pratama started riding minibikes at five years of age and began competitive racing at six.
By 2019, aged ten, Pratama won the Indonesian National Club Underbone Race Championship, an early sign of his potential to become a future Indonesian motorcycle racing star. Beyond his father's coaching, Pratama is inspired by two-time MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner as his idol and favourite rider. Away from racing, he relaxes by fishing or cycling, citing sport as his favourite school subject.
Asia Talent Cup and Junior Success
Pratama gained his first international exposure in 2021 as a wildcard entrant at the Pertamina Mandalika Circuit during the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup. This competition serves as MotoGP's primary junior platform for discovering Asian riders. In his first full campaign in 2022, Pratama finished third overall before mounting a dominant championship campaign the following year.
During the 2023 Asia Talent Cup, Pratama won nine out of twelve races to become the first Indonesian rider to win the title. He commented that the championship was his greatest achievement so far because he was the competition's first Indonesian champion. Pratama called Round 5 in Malaysia his best race because he was able to secure the championship title there.
Clinching the title with that win at Sepang directly earned him promotion to the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.
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Rookies Cup Wins and FIM Recognition
Pratama entered the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup in 2024, competing on identical KTM machinery alongside Grand Prix weekends. He concluded his debut campaign eighth in the championship standings. During that developmental period, he also contested the JuniorGP World Championship, eventually finishing tenth overall in that international series in 2025 to broaden his circuit experience.
In 2025, Pratama took his first Rookies Cup victory at Mugello, marking the first win for an Indonesian rider in series history. He immediately won the second race at Mugello and added another victory at the Sachsenring. The only rider capable of consistently challenging eventual champion Brian Uriarte, Pratama ended the season as 2025 runner-up with 181 points, six podiums, and seven top-four finishes.
At the end of 2025, Pratama stepped onto the stage at the FIM MotoGP Awards ceremony in Valencia to receive recognition for his Rookies Cup runner-up finish. In doing so, he became the first Indonesian rider ever to attend and receive an award at the ceremony, confirming his rapid emergence through the junior categories into Grand Prix racing.
Historic Debut and First Grand Prix Podium
Pratama made his Moto3 debut at the 2026 Thailand Grand Prix at Buriram's Chang International Circuit. He progressed directly into Q2 under MotoGP qualifying rules to take fifth on the grid. During the nineteen-lap Grand Prix, Pratama battled in the lead group and finished fifth, setting the highest race finish for an Indonesian rider in Moto3 at that time.
At the second round in Brazil, Pratama qualified fourth on the grid. A mid-race collision involving other riders brought out a stoppage governed by MotoGP red flag restart rules. Pratama had struggled with rapid tyre wear and had slipped back to tenth before the red flag. Fitted with fresh tyres for the five-lap sprint restart, he attacked from seventh.
Pratama executed a decisive overtaking manoeuvre on the final lap to take third place at the chequered flag on 22 March 2026. This result established him as the first Indonesian rider in history to achieve a Grand Prix motorcycle racing podium. The finish elevated him to third in the Moto3 World Championship standings with 27 points.
Riding Style and Technical Capabilities
Pratama's riding style features notable stability under heavy braking, a discipline refined during his seasons in the Asia Talent Cup. He combines this composure with aggressive overtaking instincts, demonstrated during his final-lap charge in Brazil. He also shows quick adaptation when visiting unfamiliar circuits, selecting Motegi as his favourite track because of its technical and challenging nature.
Preparation plays a central role in his approach. Pratama methodically studies circuits new to him using the MotoGP video game and by reviewing race footage before arriving. His performances drew paddock praise, with Gresini Racing marketing director Carlo Merlini describing Pratama as the strongest Asian talent currently, while premier class competitor Alex Marquez also spontaneously highlighted the youngster's talent to media.
Indonesia's MotoGP Pathway and Future Ambitions
Indonesia represents a massive motorcycle market of over 270 million citizens with deep interest in Grand Prix racing. Previous Indonesian riders include Doni Tata Pradita and Mario Suryo Aji, the latter spending two years in Moto3 with a personal best of twelfth before progressing to Moto2. Pratama's podium in only his second Grand Prix appearance represents an unprecedented benchmark for his country.
Pratama retained third position in the 2026 Moto3 championship standings following Round 7 at Mugello. His long-term ambition remains explicit: to step up into MotoGP as Indonesia's first premier class rider and contest the World Championship. With his home Grand Prix scheduled at Mandalika Circuit later in the calendar, Pratama continues building his rookie campaign with Honda Team Asia.
Sources: Who is Veda Pratama? The Indonesian teenager making history in Moto3.
