Indonesian YouTuber 'Angered' Ducati After Unboxing Its Superbike Prior To A Race

Prior to the Superbike World Championship (WSBK) at the Mandalika Grand Prix in Indonesia, it was reported that a 26-second video went viral on social media, simply because it displayed the Panigale V4R in all of its glory.

The video showed an individual in white, allegedly a member of the local organizing committee of the Mandalika Grand Prix Association (MGPA), 'unboxing' the superbike that is going to be raced by Michael Ruben Rinaldi, in the paddock area.

The person allegedly opened a Ducati cargo box and "tampered with" the number 21 motorcycle.

According to regulations, cargo and logistics team crates can only be opened by no other than the Customs and Excise or the team itself. No one is allowed to open the box except for certain people who are indeed allowed to check it. That, in order to prevent manipulation and leaks.

As the video quickly spread on social media networks, the news went viral.

And speculations suggested that Ducati was extremely angry because of this.

It was indeed suggested that Ducati released a statement saying that it has never been this angry with the incident at the street circuit located in the Mandalika resort area in Central Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara.

Ducati’s Sport Director, Paolo Ciabatti, was reportedly referring to the incident as a setback that last occurred 40 years ago and “only in third world countries.”

Responding to the alleged statement, netizens, particularly Indonesians, were deeply embarrassed.

Many were worried that the incident can undermine Indonesia's credibility in rolling out an international event as large as the the WSBK. Moreover, WSBK Mandalika is already attracting attention because it is the final series and the determinant of the 2021 WSBK World Championship.

Following the viral news, the uploader of the video named Soul Kuta Lombok, quickly took the YouTube video offline and issued an apology.

The person stated that the "box" was not locked, and he made the video due to his eagerness of seeing the bike and the race.

According to reports, it is said that Soul Kuta Lombok recorder the video with a friend working for the customs.

This is why he had the opportunity to see the superbike first hand, before the race that is scheduled to take place from November 19 to 21.

The person also wrote that he was at fault for filming the process, which “he did not know at all was not supposed to be published.”

“I am uncouth, I am dumb,” he wrote on one version of the clarification circulating widely online.

The user was likely responding to the increasing amount of comments from netizens, many of whom mocked him for “bringing shame” to Indonesia. Indeed, the incident brought so much shame to motorsport-obsessed Indonesia that even the House of Representatives (DPR) demanded that local organizers apologize.

It later news, Governor of West Nusa Tenggara Zulkieflimansyah dismissed the news of Ducati's wrath.

According to Zulkieflimansyah, there was no anger from the Ducati side. And this is where he asked the public to stop sharing misleading information about the case.

In his upload, Zulkieflimansyah also included a photo of a statement from Ducati which stated, "Contrary to what some media have reported regarding the events at Mandalika International Street Circuit,..."

"We are really looking forward to seeing all the fans in Indonesia and visiting Indonesia,..."

The Governor then added that "if there are small mistakes and mistakes here and there, it's normal as part of learning."

With the case now wrapped, "let's support each other and spread positive energy so that our place becomes a comfortable and fun place for all of us," he wrote.

Ducati also made a statement on its own, to clarify that despite what has been reported by several media outlets, neither Paolo Ciabatti nor the company’s racing team division have made any statements concerning the unboxing scandal at the Mandalika International Street Circuit.