Yamaha WorldSSP rider Aldi Mahendra has spoken about his expertise coaching in Turkiye in Kenan Sofuoglu’s facility.
Sofuoglu, the five-time Supersport World Champion, has developed a small however efficient coaching facility in his native Turkiye, its best-known product to now being two-time World Superbike Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu.
WorldSSP’s Can Oncu, Moto2 rider Deniz Oncu, and Razgatlioglu’s fellow WorldSBK rider Bahattin Sofuoglu, who’s Kenan Sofuoglu’s nephew, are additionally part of the group that trains on the Sofuoglu facility.
As Sofuoglu in his personal profession, the entire riders that now prepare as a part of his group are characterised by their aggressive driving and racing types.
Mahendra graduated to the World Supersport Championship this yr after profitable the Supersport 300 title in 2024, turning into the primary Indonesian to win an FIM World Championship title within the course of.
Transferring up with the Evan Bros group this yr, Mahendra has been joined within the storage by Can Oncu, who moved to the Italian setup from the Puccetti Kawasaki group over the winter.
It’s the partnership with Oncu – who’s rumoured to be in-line for a swap to Moto2 in 2026 with the Yamaha-backed Pramac group due to his performances this yr that at present depart him second within the championship and 59 factors behind Stefano Manzi – that noticed Mahendra in Turkiye to coach forward of the Hungarian Spherical at Balaton Park.
“Earlier than Balaton, I skilled in Turkey,” Mahendra informed German publication Speedweek.
“That was good for me, additionally for my psychological perspective.
“It was very powerful and a brand new expertise.
“After that, I attempted to proceed like [that], within the gymnasium and coaching on the bike.
“I simply tried to make an effort. Can [Oncu] helped me quite a bit with that.
“I am attempting to be taught from him as a result of he has lots of expertise in comparison with me.”
Mahendra at present sits eleventh within the 2025 Supersport World Championship standings, having scored seven top-10 finishes within the opening eight rounds with a finest end of fifth in Race 1 at Autodrom Most.
