It feels deeply strange to realize that MotoGP is heading to Phillip Island for the very last time. As Motorsport.com Italia reports, this legendary circuit by the ocean is hosting the championship for the final occasion before the Australian Grand Prix moves to a street circuit in Adelaide starting next year. But before we say goodbye to the fast sweeps of this magnificent track, it serves as the explosive first stop of a crucial triple-header.
Now, here is the absolute insanity of the championship picture: with 17 of the 22 Grands Prix in the books, Jorge Martin of the Aprilia Racing Team and Marc Marquez are separated by a razor-thin margin of just two points. The sweeping, high-speed curves tumbling down toward the ocean could give the Aprilia machinery a proper advantage over the Ducati machines, but the counter-clockwise layout is famously one of the absolute favorite hunting grounds for the #93. It is wide open, terrifyingly close, and utterly unpredictable.
And let us not count out Marco Bezzecchi. Trailing by 46 points, the weekend Down Under represents a proper last stand for the rider from Rimini. Fresh off a victory in Mandalika and carrying the colors of the House of Noale, he was terrifyingly fast here last year, taking the Sprint win and a Sunday third place despite serving a double long lap penalty. Raul Fernandez could also throw himself straight into the mix, arriving fresh off a pole and a second place in Indonesia, having grabbed his maiden premier class victory right here in Australia last year. But this season has repeatedly torn up the script, meaning any dark horse could emerge from the pack.
For Italian fans willing to sacrifice their sleep, the time zone difference means proper all-nighters. The Sprint kicks off at 6:00 on Saturday morning. Then, to make things wonderfully confusing, the change to standard time happens in the dead of night between Saturday and Sunday. The Moto3 race starts at 2:00, the clocks fall back an hour at three, and the Moto2 and MotoGP lights go out at 2:15 and 4:00 respectively.
Viewing options for the Italian audience are fully set. Sky Sport MotoGP and the Now app offer live, uninterrupted coverage of every single session across all three classes. Meanwhile, TV8 provides live coverage of the qualifying sessions on Saturday alongside the MotoGP Sprint, though the Sprint will be broadcast on a Sunday morning delay at 9:45, with the main races broadcast on Sunday via afternoon tape delay.
Saying farewell to Phillip Island marks the end of an era. Opened in its permanent form in 1956 and reborn in 1985 before taking over the Australian Grand Prix slot in 1997, the circuit is adored by riders and fans alike. Valentino Rossi remains the undisputed king here with eight total victories, while Casey Stoner matched his six premier class wins with six consecutive home triumphs between 2007 and 2012. Marc Marquez sits right behind them with five victories across categories, holding a golden chance to equal Stoner's record. The machines will tackle 27 laps for the premier class on Sunday and 13 laps for Saturday's Sprint, while Moto2 runs for 23 laps and Moto3 for 21. It is a stunning stage for a title showdown, and you will not want to blink.
