Updated ,first published
The Australian MotoGP’s farewell to Phillip Island was abruptly cancelled due to sodden weather conditions – a bittersweet swansong to the beloved track after 30 years.
Race organisers navigated a number of weather-related issues on Sunday, including poor visibility around Phillip Island and Melbourne which affected the medical helicopter’s ability to operate safely.
If a crash had occurred during race action, the medical helicopter needed to be able to land and also navigate to the nearest emergency centre in Melbourne.
Persistent weekend rain cast a cloud over hopes the riders would even get to their starting positions. At 3.40pm the worst fears were confirmed when it announced this year’s main race had been binned. Promoted as “the Final Roar”, the 2026 Australian MotoGP was, in reality, more of a damp squib.
It was devastating news for motorsport fans, tourists and Phillip Island business owners hoping for a final hurrah with flourish before the grand prix moves to Adelaide in 2027.
Amid the widespread disappointment, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation said it was facilitating the refund process for ticket-holders.
Australian racer Jack Miller summed up the downcast mood when he told the fans that “you guys deserve better”.
Miller delivered an emotional address to fans in a trackside interview, after showcasing several wheelies on the straight during his final lap and tossing his gloves into the crowd.
“You guys have sat through some shit today, and I’m sorry for that,” he said. “At least we got out on track this year, but this is a tough pill to swallow.
“I was praying for rain all weekend and we got the rain but obviously, we weren’t organised enough to get the racing going.
“You guys deserve better.”
Both the MotoGP warm-up session and the Australian Superbikes Race 3 were cancelled in the morning and the Motor3 race was cancelled in the early afternoon.
After the main race was cancelled, organisers announced riders would do a lap behind the safety car as “a farewell to the island” and to greet fans along the main straight.
After the sobering news came through, disgruntled fans made a beeline for the exit, trudging through the mud – a sad ending after nearly three decades of racing on the island.
Motorsport fans Noor Babar and Ayra Farukh said they appreciated organisers had “tried as well as they could” to save the day, but admitted today’s result was upsetting.
“Obviously, we came all the way from Melbourne, drove a couple of hours down, and then I think just being stuck in traffic and then with the parking situation as well … we kept hoping we would witness at least one of the races,” Babar said.
“One by one all the races kept getting cancelled, which was quite disappointing, but it was nice to see the farewell.”
Ros Gebbetis had travelled all the way from Western Australia to Phillip Island and said she had enjoyed the previous two days of racing.
She wasn’t surprised by today’s outcome.
“We thought it probably would be [cancelled] all day, but we were disappointed,” she said.
The GP corporation said they were working with ticketing partners to facilitate the process for full refunds for Sunday ticket holders and partial refunds for multi-day ticket holders.
“We know this is an incredibly disappointing outcome for fans, teams and everyone who has contributed to the event. Safety must always come first, and racing cannot take place without the medical helicopter able to operate,” they said.
“While this is not the way anyone wanted MotoGP’s time at Phillip Island to conclude, it does not diminish the incredible legacy of this event. We thank the fans, riders, teams, officials, volunteers, partners and the Phillip Island community who have made it so special over so many years.”
In mid-February news broke that Victoria had lost its MotoGP race to South Australia, ending a three-decades long connection to Phillip Island and dealing a blow to the Victorian government after it refused to move the event to a location closer to central Melbourne.
Earlier this month, Victorian Major Events Minister Anthony Carbines announced Supercars would return to Phillip Island on a five-year-deal, plugging the economic hole left by MotoGP.
It will be the first time since 2019 that the island has hosted the Supercars championship.
Father-son duo Joel and Ethan Sing braved the weather to snag a seat trackside on Sunday, armed with grey ponchos and gigantic umbrellas. Both attended Sunday’s race and said there were disappointed to see the iconic race leave Phillip Island.
Both were doubtful they would travel to Adelaide to see the event.
“Phillip Island is such an amazing track so I’m sad to see it go,” Ethan said. “Supercars are cool, but not as [cool] as the MotoGP.”
Over the past five years, Phillip Island has had troubles with delays and event cancellations due to poor weather.
In 2022, the circuit flooded ahead of MotoGP practices, although no events were delayed or cancelled. The following year, the sprint race was cancelled in due to strong winds and rain and the grand prix was moved Saturday instead of Sunday. Opening practice got the boot in 2024 with heavy rain, but the rest of the weekend proceeded smoothly allowing for all festivities to continue.
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
Hannah Kennelly is an award-winning sports reporter and Formula 1 writer at The Age.Connect via email.
