Ardi Mahendra from Yamaha World Sprider shared her training experience at the Kenan Sofuoglu facility in Turkey. Kenan Sofuoglu, a five-time Supersport World Champion, has created a compact yet highly effective training center in his home country. Among those training there are WorldSSP’s Oncu, Moto2 rider Deniz Oncu, and WorldSBK rider Bahattin Sofuoglu, all nephews of Kenan Sofuoglu. Riders trained under Sofuoglu are known for their aggressive riding and racing style, a hallmark of his own career.
Mahendra recently advanced from the Supersport 300 class after clinching the 2024 Supersport 300 World Championship, making history as the first Indonesian to win a FIM World Championship title. This year, she transferred from the Puttetti Kawasaki team to the Italian-based Evan Bros team. This move is part of a collaboration with ONCU, and due to her strong performances, there are rumors she might move to Moto2 in 2026 with the Yamaha-supported Pramac team.
Speaking to the German outlet SpeedWeek, Mahendra said, "Before Balaton, I trained in Turkey. It was good for me both physically and mentally. It was a challenging and new experience. After that, I kept up with gym and bike training. I just kept trying, and it really helped me. He [Sofuoglu] has more experience than I do, so I’m learning from him."
Currently, Mahendra is 11th in the 2025 Supersport World Championship standings, with seven top-10 finishes in the first eight rounds and a fifth-place finish in race one at the Autodroms.
Fan Take: This development highlights the increasing global diversity and talent in motorcycle racing, with rising stars like Mahendra breaking new ground. Her progress and training under legendary figures like Sofuoglu could inspire a new generation of racers and energize the sport’s competitive landscape.
