Kiandra Ramadhipa: "Someone thinks Asian riders are not that strong, but..."

Since the wildcard of Doni Tata Pradita at the 2005 Malaysian GP, Indonesia has been slowly bringing more riders to high levels of motorcycle racing, either in Aisa or even until reaching the world stage. For the last few years, we have seen even more instances: Aldi Mahendra in the Supersport World Championship, Mario Aji in Moto2, Veda Pratama ready to step up to the Moto3 World Championship in 2026...And more coming, like Kiandra Ramadhipa.

Born on the 4th December 2009, Ramadhipa had a very positive year in the Asia Talent Cup in 2024, as he won two races and fought for the overall top 3 in his maiden season in the series. Such result brought him straight to Europe in 2025, with even a double commitment: Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and European Talent Cup. In the first, he scored one podium at Sachsenring (2nd place in Race 1) and multiple top 5 finishes in the second half season, ranking eighth in the overall standings. In the ETC, with the Honda Asia Dream Racing Junior Team, he has been doing even better: Ramadhipa has won Race 1 at Magny-Cours and the race held at Barcelona, scored many top 6 finishes, and at the moment the interview is released, he is fighting for the top 3 in the standings.

Such great progression, together with his career overall, is the topic of the interview that Kiandra Ramadhipa gave to Palmen in Motorradsport.

Kiandra, starting from the Rookies Cup...What do you think about your season there?

At the beginning it was quite difficult, because the level in Europe is much higher than in Asia. I tried to adapt quickly and I learned a lot from other riders, especially Veda Pratama, who helped me a lot together with our coach, Dani Ribalta. I’m happy overall, because I managed to get a podium at the Sachsenring and a top five in the last round. I hope to get another opportunity to race next year.

Did you expect that podium at Sachsenring?

Not really. I qualified 12th and the race had mixed conditions, since the track was wet and then dried up. I just tried my best, led for half the race, and I finished second after Brian (Uriarte, ed) overtook me on the last lap. I did not win, but that result still gave me a lot of confidence.  

You have also won a race in the European Talent Cup. How is your season going there?

It’s been good so far. In the first round at Estoril, I finished third in Race 1, and then unfortunately crashed in Race 2. At Jerez, I started from 22nd position and recovered until finishing the two races in seventh and sixth place. At Magny-Cours, I felt strong since the testing and I like the track. In Race 1, I fought with the front group and won. Race 2 instead was wet and slippery, and I nearly crashed, but I managed to finish fourth. In Aragón, I had good qualifying but got a long-lap penalty and struggled with the gearing. I still finished sixth. In Misano qualifying wasn’t great, but I had the pace to fight for the win and finally came away with a 5th and 6th place.

How was the transition from racing in Asia to competing in Europe?

The level here is much higher. In Asia, usually only four or five riders fight for the win, but in Europe everyone is competitive. Many riders already know the circuits, so I had to learn quickly. I’m working on improving communication with my mechanics, so we get the best bike setup. Since the start of the season, I’ve learned a lot on this side.

You now live in Europe, in Tarragona, with Joan Olivé. What have you learned from him?

He’s taught me to be disciplined and to be a good person. He helps me both on and off the track, and I’ve learned a lot from his experience as a former World Championship rider.

Could you talk about your racing journey so far, from the beginning?

I started racing pocket bikes in Indonesia in 2017 and then joined the national Underbone championship in 2018. From 2019 to 2021, I competed with different teams and later, I joined the Astra Honda Racing School, where I trained on the Honda NSF100 and had Gerry Salim as a coach. In 2022, I raced in the Asia Road Racing Championship (ARRC) with the Underbone 150 and finished second at Sepang. In 2023, I moved to the Thailand Talent Cup on the NSF250R. There I won one race and finished top three overall after six rounds, which all took place at Buriram.

That same year, I was selected for the 2024 Asia Talent Cup, where I won races in Qatar and Thailand and finishing fourth overall. I also raced in Asia Production 250 (within the Asia Road Racing Championship, ed) and finished third in the championship with three wins. After that, Astra Honda and Dorna promoted me to the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and the European Talent Cup. It’s been a long journey, with my father’s support from the beginning, and now I am trying to make him and everyone even prouder of me.  

What’s your ultimate goal in racing?

To become a World Champion.

Who’s your favorite rider?

Fabio Quartararo. He became World Champion in 2021, and even now that his bike is not competitive, he keeps working hard with the team to get back to the top.

Your favorite circuits?

Magny-Cours, Motegi, and Mugello. I like Magny-Cours because I got my first European win there, and Motegi is special because I’ve had good results, it's a nice track and I love Japan. Finally, Mugello is great because of its many high-speed corners.

What do you consider your main strengths and weaknesses as a rider?

I’m still learning and not as strong as I want to be. My weakness is that I need to be more aggressive, because I am not yet strong enough to stand out in a tight battle. My main strength, instead...I don't know!

How do you spend your time when there’s no racing?

I train in Tarragona with Veda Pratama, Kiattisak Singhapong and Alfonsi Daquigan (other riders involved in the Junior Talent Team, ed). I especially enjoy cycling and running. When it comes to other sports, I like to watch football, and my favorite team is Real Madrid.  

How was it moving away from Indonesia and your family?

It’s still hard not to see my family for months, but we stay in touch regularly. They always support and motivate me. After Misano, I went back to Indonesia to see my whole family: my parents, all my brothers etc. They cannot come to Europe, but they always follow my races and cheer for me from home.

What are the biggest differences between Indonesia and Europe?

Life here is more expensive and the culture is very different. When it comes to racing, riders here are very disciplined and focused on themselves, and some still think that riders from Asia cannot be at their level. I just don't think about this: I prefer to focus on myself, believe in my skills and meanwhile, to have a good communication with them. Physically, you need to train more because the humidity is lower, so you need better endurance to race at this level.

Finally, who would you like to thank for your journey so far?

I want to thank Astra Honda Racing, Dorna, Joan Olivé, Dani Ribalta, my father and my sponsors. And of course, all the Indonesian people who always support me. I’ll do my best to make them proud.

Palmen in Motorradsport thanks Kiandra Ramadhipa for his time and Astra Honda Racing for making the interview possible. Best wishes to both the rider and the Junior Talent Team for the next races and seasons.