The Only Indonesian: Mario Aji, Moto2 Star in Indonesia—Why Does He Have Batik on His Helmet?

Since 2021, moving from Moto3 to Moto2 and remaining with Honda Team Asia, Indonesian rider Mario Suryo Aji has been a full-time presence in the Motorcycle World Championship. He has produced a few flashes of speed, but little more during his extended stay in the world series, completing a journey that began amid numerous hardships in Indonesia. He has never forgotten his roots, starting with the national motifs displayed on his helmet.

Indonesia is renowned for batik, a combination of the Indonesian words amba (to write) and titik (dot or drop), referring to what is drawn. Creating batik, the famous Indonesian fabric, requires a very ancient technique. It is no coincidence that producing a fine handmade batik requires years and years of dedicated schooling and training. In a sense, Mario Aji himself embodies a “motorcycling batik”. Born in East Java, precisely where batik originated, he carries this heritage with him through a special design on his helmet.

The only Indonesian rider in the Moto2 World Championship, just like the creation of batik, had to go through years and years of schooling to reach where he is today. While batik is said to have originated from a series of accidental mistakes during the dyeing process, “Super Mario’s” racing development has likewise been shaped by setbacks along an unconventional path in modern motorcycling.

Today Mario Aji races in Moto2 after competing virtually everywhere and on every kind of machine. He began with motocross, although he abandoned the dirt bike almost immediately after finding no real high-level opposition in his homeland. His move to road racing led him to compete on scooters—real racing scooters, that is, even though he owns a Vespa for getting around back home. Mario made his ARRC debut as the youngest rider ever in the AP250 class, successfully progressing through the entire series of promotional and developmental championships organized by ASTRA Honda Indonesia before moving on to the Asia Talent Cup, Red Bull Rookies Cup, FIM JuniorGP and, finally, the Motorcycle World Championship.

The world championship stage had always been his dream, and it came true at the worst possible time. Just after his move to the Moto3 World Championship had been finalized, his father suddenly passed away. Today Mario races for him, without ever forgetting his roots.

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