Rusty Wyatt of the Sharjah Team claimed his second consecutive victory at the Grand Prix of Indonesia on Lake Toba, Sumatra, on 24 August 2025. He seized the lead after defending World Champion Jonas Andersson retired with mechanical problems after 17 laps, giving Wyatt a five-point advantage in the drivers’ standings.
Behind him, Victory Team’s Alec Weckström finished second, while Ben Jelf of the F1 Atlantic Team celebrated his first Grand Prix podium in third.
Reflecting on the race, Jelf said:
Wow, what a race — that was really intense. I’m not sure how we got through that one unscathed as Peter and Erik crashed right in front of me.
Wyatt marked his win with a celebratory leap into Lake Toba alongside his jubilant crew. He later added:
We are back again… We started fourth last year and won it. We started fourth again this year and won it again. Unbelievable… It is an amazing day for Sharjah. I love Lake Toba!
Sharjah Extends Its Lead
The team’s success did not end with Wyatt. Stefan Arand impressed with a strong fourth-place finish, helping Sharjah build a 10-point cushion over Victory in the Teams’ Championship.
Further down the field, Marit Strømøy delivered a solid fifth in her four-stroke V8 DAC, while Grant Trask of the China CTIC Team claimed sixth. The remainder of the top ten included Alberto Comparato, promising rookie Damon Cohen, Bartek Marszalek, and Ferdinand Zandbergen.
The race was far from straightforward.
A first-corner collision between Peter Morin and Erik Stark forced both out early. Shaun Torrente and Ben Jelf collided; Jelf sustained damage but managed to finish in third, while Torrente retired four laps from the finish, likely as a result of the incident.
Neil Perkins, is a seasoned sports journalist and PR professional. Educated at Adams’ Grammar School, Newport, he developed a lifelong passion for sport, including football, cricket, golf, and snooker.
Perkins began his career as a trainee accountant before moving into sports journalism in 1986 with Motoring News, covering events worldwide. In 1990, he founded NDP Publicity Services in Shropshire, specialising in sports public relations. Over three decades, he has worked across 114 countries for governments, sporting federations, royalty, celebrities, and major events such as the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and Winter Olympics.
Outside work, he follows Ipswich Town FC, enjoys fishing in Spain and Shropshire, and travels to destinations including Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Catalunya, and Mexico.