The roar of engines at the Mandalika International Circuit is once again being drowned out by the quiet, tense negotiations over its price tag. As the 2026 MotoGP season approaches, the recurring ghost of the “hosting fee” has returned to haunt West Nusa Tenggara’s provincial budget. Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal has confirmed that while the technical glitches of 2025 are settled, the financial burden remains a sticking point in high-level talks with InJourney and the central government.
The debate centers on a fundamental question of fiscal fairness: how much should a local province pay for a global spectacle? With the hosting fee estimated to reach hundreds of billions of rupiah, the NTB administration is pushing for a more proportional sharing scheme. For a region still balancing post-pandemic recovery and infrastructure needs, being the sole host with a heavy bill is a strategy that is increasingly under fire.
Governor Iqbal’s “sit-down” with Jakarta is more than just a coordination meeting; it is a calculated attempt to decouple regional pride from regional bankruptcy. While the event is undeniably a magnet for international tourism and investment, the multiplier effect has yet to consistently outpace the sheer cost of keeping Dorna Sports happy. In the world of high-stakes sports diplomacy, Mandalika is discovering that the finish line is often moved by those who hold the checkbook.
