By Donovan Fourie | Guest Contributor | MotoGP Analyst
A Legendary Circuit Down Under
It’s the earliest morning of the year for South African MotoGP fans as the championship docks in Australia for the famous Phillip Island Circuit situated near Melbourne on the southern tip of the country.
Phillip Island is famous indeed – the circuit was built in 1956 and revamped in 1985. The first MotoGP event took place there in 1989, and it became a regular fixture on the calendar from 1997.
Fast, Flowing, and a Rider Favourite
It’s one of the fastest circuits on the calendar and yet, despite this, one of the easiest circuits on the brakes as most of the corners are fast and flowing with nothing in the way of silly hairpins.
This track should be the model for all circuits.
Indeed, it is a rider favourite, and while the brakes may be taking a vacation, the tyres certainly are not. It’s a layout that leaves the tyres on their edge at speed for an extended period. The last corner on the circuit, the fast, left-hander Turn 12, is where the tyres reach the highest temperatures anywhere in the championship. Needless to say, tyre management will be key.
Weather Watch: Cold, Windy, and Unpredictable
As is the weather – Phillip Island is a relatively short stretch from Antarctica, so cold temperatures and rain are ever-present threats.
Although this weekend, it seems that the umbrellas will join the brakes on vacation, while the warm overcoats will not. Friday and Saturday temperatures are predicted not to exceed 15º C. Sunday looks a little warmer at 22º C.
With this, riders will have to be wary of keeping heat in those tyres. It’s a trickier task than it may seem – Cal Crutchlow once famously crashed at this circuit because he started relaxing in order to bring the bike home. His relaxation caused the tyres to cool, so going slower made him crash.
Key Stats and Track Facts
The front straight is 900m long, but the pace of the corner leading on to it means the riders see speeds in excess of 350km/h before they brake for the sweeping Turn One.
The entire track is 4.4km long with five right corners and seven left. The race lap record is held by Marc Marquez from last year, and the all-time record was set during qualifying in 2023 by Jorge Martin.
Marquez Out: Injury Update and Recovery Timeline
Missing from this weekend will be Marc Marquez, who remains injured after his collision with Marco Bezzecchi in Indonesia.
It was initially believed that the Spaniard had broken his collarbone in the fall, but scans at a hospital in Madrid have shown that he instead broke his right caracoid, a bone attached to his shoulder blade.
Medical staff initially said that the bone was not displaced and therefore recommended bedrest until it healed. At the beginning of this week, a check-up scan showed that the bone was not knitting together as it should, and he was rolled in for surgery.
The problem is that the eight-time MotoGP champion has hurt both the bone and various ligaments, and all this takes time to heal. Medical professionals have suggested a four-month recovery that would effectively rule him out for at least the rest of the year. That might be true for ordinary humans, but MotoGP riders have a tendency to defy doctors’ orders. It’s possible that we might see him back by Valencia for the last race of the season.
Penalties, Predictions, and Dark Horses
For punting off Marquez, Marco Bezzecchi has been handed a double Long Lap Penalty for the main race in Australia on Sunday, which means he’s going to have a good six to eight second deficit to everyone else. That might ordinarily be a death sentence for any victory hopes, but Phillip Island has a way of popping up surprises.
More interestingly for Bezzecchi is that Phillip Island is quite similar to Mandalika in Indonesia, and Bezzecchi’s pace was unmatched during that weekend. Even with a double penalty, it’s possible the Italian might still claw back something good.
Bagnaia’s Challenge and the Unpredictable Field
For another Italian, Phillip Island resembling Mandalika is a thought from hell. Pecco Bagnaia utterly dominated at the stop-and-go Motegi Circuit in Japan, and then did a complete turnaround in Indonesia, trailing last in the race before falling off.
We will have to wait for the weekend to be sure, but it’s highly possible the Ducati rider might struggle again.
Apart from those two, it’s really anyone’s race. The fast, flowing nature of Phillip Island lends itself to a variety of riding styles and bikes. It’s a place where riders who might have been a footnote on the timesheets previously can rise to a podium challenge.
Brad Binder’s Opportunity
This track has been a particular favourite to South Africa’s own Brad Binder. He finished a season-best fourth at Mandalika, and it’s a good bet that the settings he found there will work in Australia also.
Early Alarm Worth It
Either way, Phillip Island usually provides some of the best racing on the calendar. It might be worth the ridiculously early Sunday morning.