MotoGP Phillip Island: the riders wanted to race, the helicopter didn’t

• No race may start without a flight window of around 60 minutes for the rescue helicopter, at Phillip Island and in Melbourne at the same time
• Bagnaia, Marquez, Bezzecchi and Moto2 rider Agius would have raced, but the riders were not consulted
• Marc Marquez heads to Malaysia with 365 points, Jorge Martin has 355, Marco Bezzecchi 315

The fans had been sitting in the rain since early morning, the bikes were ready, and in the end all that was left was a lap of honour behind the safety car. At around 2 pm local time, race direction first cancelled the Moto3 and Moto2 races. For MotoGP, a pit lane opening was still announced for 4 pm. Then at 3:35 pm came the final cancellation. This means the World Championship’s time at Phillip Island ends without a last Grand Prix; from 2027 the series will race in Adelaide. After the cancellation, the questions were therefore directed less at the track than at the procedures. Why can a race not be started in rideable conditions? Why did nobody bring the schedule forward? And who benefits from the cancellation in the 2026 MotoGP title fight?

Why was MotoGP not allowed to start at Phillip Island?

A race may only start if the rescue helicopter can fly safely for around 60 minutes, both at the circuit and in Melbourne at the same time. Because of poor visibility, this window never existed on Sunday.

Race Director Graham Webb explained the rule to MotoGP.com even before the final decision: “So, that helicopter needs a window of around 60 minutes in both places – Phillip Island and Melbourne – in order for us to start the race.”

The reason lies in the location of the circuit. The regulations require that an injured rider can reach a hospital within 45 minutes. At most circuits this is achieved with an ambulance by road. From Phillip Island, however, the drive to Melbourne on a Grand Prix weekend takes almost two hours, according to Webb. That is why everything here depends on the helicopter and therefore on the weather.

Simply postponing the race even further was not a solution either. In the late afternoon, temperatures on the island drop quickly. Webb called this a critical point for the MotoGP race tyres. He stressed that race direction was aware of the consequences for the fans. Under the regulations, however, rider safety comes first.

Why was the Grand Prix not brought forward to Saturday?

According to the MotoGP organisation, nothing on Saturday suggested that visibility on Sunday would keep the helicopter on the ground. Rain and wind were forecast, but not to an extent that would have jeopardised the races.

A short statement reads: “As of Saturday, there was no information that visibility would be limiting.” Race direction had followed the forecasts closely all weekend.

The idea of rescheduling was not entirely new. Fabio Di Giannantonio had already said on Thursday that a change to the schedule had been discussed. Aprilia racing boss Massimo Rivola points out, however, that Saturday also looked uncertain. As he remembers it, the weather was expected to get significantly worse from the afternoon, exactly from the sprint onwards. For Sunday, by contrast, cold and rain were forecast, but not as heavy as the night before. Rivola admitted that he himself had not considered the helicopter problem. Saying in hindsight that they could have raced on Saturday is too easy, in his view.

In the end, Saturday stayed dry. Marc Marquez won the sprint ahead of his brother Alex and Fabio Di Giannantonio. The comparison with 2023 is obvious. Back then, MotoGP swapped the schedule because of a bad forecast, the main race took place on Saturday and Johann Zarco celebrated his first win in the premier class. But even then the plan did not fully work out. On Sunday the Moto2 race was stopped early and the MotoGP sprint was cancelled completely.

What do the riders say about the cancellation at Phillip Island?

Most riders would have raced. However, they accepted the decision because it was about medical care and not about the condition of the track.

Francesco Bagnaia said the riders had not been consulted about the cancellation. In such a situation, you have to respect the decision of those in charge. Still, he wanted to race. The conditions were difficult and very cold, but they had raced in worse. Marc Marquez sounded similar. He called the conditions acceptable and said the riders had been ready. Phillip Island did not deserve to have its very last race cancelled.

Moto2 rider Senna Agius also considered the track rideable. There was not much standing water, said the Australian, who will now contest his first home Grand Prix in the premier class in Adelaide. But he understood that it was about more than the track.

Marco Bezzecchi described how much he would have liked to race. He was impressed by how many spectators had stayed for the lap of honour after hours in the rain. Pedro Acosta had hoped for rain because it would have been his best chance of a top result. But he had not expected so much wind.

Jack Miller was the most outspoken. For the Australian it was his last home Grand Prix, and his Yamaha carried a special green and gold livery for the occasion, which could only be seen on the lap of honour. After a stoppie on the home straight, he threw his gloves and boots into the crowd and spoke to the fans over the loudspeakers. He had hoped for rain all weekend, Miller said. They got the rain, but were not organised well enough to race anyway. The fans deserved better.

Who benefits from the cancellation in the title fight?

In the short term, the cancellation helps Jorge Martin. He would not have been able to start anyway after his crash in the sprint and so has not lost any more points to Marc Marquez.

Martin crashed on Saturday in the fast Turn 8 while duelling with Marquez and broke his radius near the right wrist. The fracture is not displaced, and as things stand surgery does not seem necessary. Martin is therefore flying straight to Malaysia. Aprilia team manager Paolo Bonora names a start at Sepang as the goal and is optimistic, but there is no firm commitment yet.

For Aprilia, the cancellation has two sides. Massimo Rivola suspects that Martin is relieved, while Bezzecchi is likely to be annoyed. The Italian had set the fastest time on Friday and finished fourth in the sprint from the third row of the grid. He had calculated a chance to close the gap. Purely in terms of Martin, it would be better not to race at all, Rivola admitted. But that is not what the team is about.

Ducati takes a similarly sober view. Team manager Davide Tardozzi admitted that, realistically speaking, Marquez had missed an opportunity. Rider safety nevertheless takes priority. He recalled Carl Fogarty’s serious crash at Phillip Island in 2000, which ended his career. Tardozzi rejects the idea that the championship has thus been decided. A ten-point lead is nothing when there are still 148 points up for grabs. Even Bezzecchi, 50 points behind, remains a title contender. Of the four remaining race weekends in Malaysia, Qatar, Portugal and Valencia, three circuits probably suit Aprilia better. But Ducati has Marquez, and that gives the team a certain calm.

Farewell to Phillip Island without a final race

Phillip Island hosted a motorcycle Grand Prix for the first time in 1989. For many riders the fast circuit is one of the highlights of the calendar, as Saturday’s sprint showed once again. Marquez won here in the 125cc class in 2010 and in the premier class in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2024. But in 2013 he was also disqualified because he came into the pits one lap too late for the mandatory bike swap. The track remains one of his favourites, he said.

A story from Rivola shows how much the farewell meant. He had brought his family especially for the last MotoGP race on the island, after days of travel. All they got to see was the lap of honour. Acosta put it more conciliatorily: MotoGP must be grateful to the island and its fans for what they have given the sport.

Frequently Asked Questions