Casey Stoner fights for Phillip Island: His case against Adelaide

• Last MotoGP race at Phillip Island from 23 to 25 October 2026
• Adelaide is set to host for the first time from 12 to 14 November 2027
• Stoner won his home race six times in a row from 2007 to 2012

The Australian Grand Prix has been held at Phillip Island since 1997. That comes to an end after the 2026 season, as the race moves to a new street circuit in Adelaide. For Casey Stoner, the track is closely tied to his career. He took six consecutive MotoGP wins there. In a YouTube interview with Chris Vermeulen, who, like Stoner, raced in MotoGP as an Australian, he looks ahead to this year’s race. The conversation covers his disappointment with the decision, safety on street circuits and two races he will never forget.

How does Casey Stoner react to Phillip Island being dropped?

In his own words, Stoner is massively disappointed. He never expected Phillip Island to be removed from the calendar.

“Disappointment, massively. I honestly never thought that Phillip Island would be taken off the calendar.”

Stoner does acknowledge the track’s weaknesses. He admits that a number of things need to change at Phillip Island. The pit facilities and surroundings need a refresh, and the event itself could be organised a little differently to give it more momentum. From a sporting point of view, however, he sees no reason for the farewell.

“But year after year, it produces some of the greatest racing you’ll ever see. And to take that sort of thing off the calendar is very, very surprising for me and to replace it with a street circuit isn’t something I really agree with.”

Why is Stoner critical of the Adelaide street circuit?

For Stoner, it is above all about safety. Motorcycle riders have no protective shell around them, and on a street circuit a mistake can quickly have serious consequences.

The new track in Adelaide still has to be built. It is being created in parkland, and around 400 trees could be felled for its construction. MotoGP stresses that there will be no compromises on run-off areas. Stoner is not convinced. He says riders have long been outspoken on safety because some things are overlooked for the sake of the spectacle. After all, the riders’ lives are at stake.

“We don’t have four walls around us [like a car]. We don’t have a cockpit. As soon as something goes wrong, you lock a brake, generally you go down and it can get horribly nasty.”

On top of that come hazards that riders can hardly anticipate. Stoner mentions an oil spill that nobody expects, and a wet track. In the rain, after a crash it almost feels as if you are getting even faster, because nothing slows the rider down. In his view, there is still a lot in this area that needs to be looked at carefully.

What makes Phillip Island special for the fans?

For Stoner, a race weekend at Phillip Island is more than motorsport. He describes it as an experience that fans travel to the coast for.

“It’s not just the racing itself. It’s an experience.”

Stoner says he only truly experienced how beautiful the area is a few years ago. The view across the ocean impressed him. He also highlights the effort Australian fans make. In Europe, a MotoGP track is usually only a few hours’ ride away. Anyone travelling from Queensland in Australia, by contrast, spends more than 20 hours on the bike. He greatly appreciates that so many people still come to watch the race at what he calls the “world’s greatest motorcycle track”.

Aero and electronics: what today’s riders miss out on at Phillip Island

Stoner believes the current MotoGP generation can no longer fully experience the track. Aerodynamics push the bikes into the ground, and electronics take a lot off the riders’ hands. He would like them to be able to get more out of Phillip Island.

Nevertheless, the track remains something special. Stoner describes many modern circuits as computer-designed facilities that are simply placed on a piece of land. By comparison, riders still enjoy themselves at Phillip Island, much like at Mugello or on the return to Brno.

Which Phillip Island wins matter most to Stoner?

Of his six consecutive home wins, Stoner singles out the last two, 2011 and 2012.

“2011 is hard to beat,” he says. A lot came together for him that day. With his fifth consecutive home win, he clinched the world title on his birthday. There was no duel with Jorge Lorenzo, however, as he had crashed and missed the race. Instead, the weather provided variety. Stoner remembers sunshine, wind, falling temperatures and finally rain.

2012 brought his farewell win. Stoner had previously suffered a serious ankle injury at Indianapolis, which ended his championship hopes. He returned for the races beforehand to get back into shape and give himself a proper send-off at Phillip Island. Riding was difficult because of the ankle, but the pace was still there on the island.

“The crowd was something I won’t ever forget.”

How big the crowd was became clear the day after. Leaving the island still took three hours. Stoner says he is grateful to this day to everyone who came to his last race there.

When does MotoGP race at Phillip Island for the last time?

The last MotoGP race at Phillip Island is scheduled for 23 to 25 October 2026. Adelaide is set to host the Australian Grand Prix for the first time from 12 to 14 November 2027.

In the 2026 MotoGP season, the Australian GP thus becomes the farewell to Phillip Island, while Adelaide takes its place on the 2027 calendar. Stoner does not want to accept that.

“For Phillip Island to be off the calendar is just extremely disappointing for me and it’s something I’ll be fighting to get back on the calendar.”

He did not name any concrete steps.

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