Why riding at Phillip Island is such an incredible experience
Head Down Under for 2.76 miles of complete trackday nirvana
Few would argue with the notion that Phillip Island is one of the world’s most evocative racetracks. An exotic, faraway playground, it’s a circuit most of us have only seen on telly at an ungodly hour. But it’s always been worth staying awake to catch a glimpse of our heroes battling under the Australian sun.
It’s played host to some of the most memorable races in history. Remember 1990, when a fairingflapping Gardner beat Doohan? Or 1994 when Scott Russell pulled over to hand Foggy his first World Superbike title? Then there was the time in 2000 when bad boy Gobert splashed to WSB victory on his nail of a Bimota and Olivier Jacques beat Shinya Nakano, by the width of a tearoff to take the race win and 250cc GP world championship. Rossi’s 2003 MotoGP victory is regarded one of the greatest rides of his career, overcoming a 10-second penalty, oh and what about Melandri’s one-handed powerslide? I’m sure you could reel off any number of multi-bike, nose-to-tail epics since.
It’s only a strip of tarmac, of course, like a swooping, anti-clockwise Donington-meetsJerez-and-Mugello. Perched on the edge of a cliff, it even has a little bit of the windswept Anglesey about it. But it’s something special to ride. The location helps, but it’s more the flow of the place: its high speed, bike-wrenching direction changes and devilish fourth-gear corners, balanced on the edge of a squirming tyre. Phillip Island doesn’t just produce exceptional racing, it burns your muscles and fries your mind.
Many an Aussie trackday nut will be in awe at the amount of famous circuits we Pommies have on our doorstep, but having the world’s best in their back yard is the ultimate gift. But it’s not just the locals and superstar racers who get to thrash around the Island, riders from all over the world make the pilgrimage to follow in their heroes’ wheel tracks at the circuit’s Ride Days (see right).
Even No Limits laid on a Phillip Island event in January (a first for a UK trackday firm), taking care of bike transport and accommodation. They won’t return next year, because the circuit didn’t have dates available,
‘It’s played host to the most memorable races’ ‘Even the start/finish straight is special’