So MotoGP has lost Phillip Island. That is a tragedy in itself. Phillip Island and Mugello are the two greatest motorcycle race tracks on the planet, and to lose one from the calendar is devastating. The fans and most of the riders will be heartbroken.
I say “most of the riders”, because as Aleix Espargaro pointed out on his social media account, losing Phillip Island means losing one of the most dangerous tracks on the calendar. You do not want to crash at Phillip Island, because when you do, it can end very badly. When pretty much every corner bar Miller Corner and MG are blisteringly fast, falling off is always going to hurt.
Which brings me to why Phillip Island lost MotoGP in the first place. As glorious as the location and layout is, the facilities are more 1976 than 2026. I freely admit that I am not speaking from first-hand experience. But I have been badgered for long enough by fans, friends and fellow journalists that I really should be making the pilgrimage to have gotten the truth about the facilities from them. The nicest thing that you can say about the circuit is that there is a barista in the media center.
Left behind
In more practical terms, the garages are over 20 years old, small and dingy. Power supplies struggle to cope with the demands of the current MotoGP grid, as data processing requirements have exploded. Spectators are mostly left exposed out in the open. Which at Phillip Island in October, risks hypothermia, a drenching, and sunburn all at the same time.
