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  1. Glass-Internet6350 on

    Granted attendance is lower than other MotoGP races but the circuit is a rider favourite and now Victoria loses it to an Adelaide ~~street circuit~~ actually reports are that it’s likely to be The Bend 🤦‍♂️

  2. Awful news. Phillip Island is a riders favourite and one of, if not the best races on the calendar.

    Not sure who to direct my hatred towards – Liberty media, Victorian Government or Lindsey fox?

  3. IntravenousNutella on

    Lol Tailem bend. I know nothing about the track, but Jesus Christ the town’s a shithole.

  4. Fictitious-Fighter75 on

    out of all the corruption Labor’s involved with, why couldn’t making a deal to keep MotoGP, be one of them?

  5. This is genuinely a fucking disgrace. Not only does this event bring in so much money for people on the island, it’s one of the, if not the BEST track on the calendar.

    My Dad and I would drive up from Central Coast, NSW every single year to camp and watch the bikes, such a fond memory watching Rossi and Stoner go fucking AT it on the track. I remember one year we went to a restaurant in town and my Dad crop-dusted Pedrosa by accident as he was leaving.

    If what they’re saying is true, and Liberty Media want “street circuits” on the calendar, the riders are going to be fucking fuming, it’s so incredibly unsafe.

    Sad day for for MotoGP and Victoria, tbh.

  6. I went down for the first time last year as a rider, just by myself on the Friday and Saturday and it was SUCH a good weekend, I had it teed in to go every year from here on, it’s devastating. And I can’t imagine it’s great news for the local community

  7. Usual-Introduction-1 on

    Seems like the state government is finally realising they are running out of money.

    Moto GP is the first major event to fall victim of their incompetence.

  8. The Bend is an awful circuit. Absolutely no character whatsoever. The government tried, and liberty media being steadfast in hosting at Albert park was just never going to work.

    All the changes needed would have ruined any viewing experience plus blocked the lake out for an even longer period of time during the year.

  9. FuriousYellow77 on

    Gardiner Straight, Doohan Corner, Stoner Corner and Miller Corner. Yet because Lindsay Fox doesn’t want to spend a cent upgrading, and Liberty Media are the cancer of motorsport we are losing the single greatest track for motorcycle racing on earth and the home of motorcycle racing in this country. It’s a crime that this is being moved away from the Island just like its a Crime Liberty are removing Spa’s permanent status on the F1 calendar.

  10. Marlboroshill66 on

    That’s devistating news for PIR especially when it looks unlikely Supercars is ever coming back.

    Easily the most English style track in the country with beautiful geography. Its a mission for punters to get to, But it’s always worth it if you’re a petrol head.

    Used to do flag marshalling wether it’s big boys or weekend warriors bashing it out in Toyota Scarletts it always produced great racing.. One of the few tracks that awards driving skill over equipment. Had a lot of time for the place regardless of the event or shit weather because you never know what you were going to see.

    If you ever have the time to go to a hobby event please do!

  11. Reckon the demand for Albert Park was planned from the start knowing it would get turned down.

  12. mildlybadatallthis on

    Despite being a south Aussie and despising that we lost the GP all those years ago, PI is one of the best bike tracks in the world, and the bend is gonna be dogshit.

  13. My 83 year old dad has gone every year at the moto gp since it went to the island. He used to do boys weekends with his mates, many of them are no longer around or very ill.
    Last 2 years he’s gone with his grandkids and loved every moment. Its a sad day.

  14. blindinghangover on

    Hopefully this is the kick up the arse that improves the facilities and the region. The race came to the island in the 80’s and there has been no upgrade to any of the track infrastructure besides the race surface.
    And then there’s Cowes. What should be a Mediterranean style seaside town is an absolute mess of 2 dollar shops and derro pubs, which has also not left the 80’s.
    If this can be fixed and I hope it can be then it should be a no-brainer to return after a few years especially if the alternative location is as bad as it sounds.
    Phillip island is an absolute natural wonder of beaches and nature, this is its true value to international stage.

  15. South Aussie here. Do Victorians understand just how much the loss of the F1 affected us?

    I was 4 when the last Adelaide Grand Prix was held and have literally no memory of it but its been brought up constantly for as long as I can remember as a real source of resentment. I think the timing being relatively close to the state bank collapse fed into the feeling of doom and gloom in SA around that time that we didn’t really move on from until things like the Adelaide Oval redevelopment in the 2010’s.

    If this does happen, there will be a real feeling of “revenge”, “justice”, “karma” whatever you want to call it from lots of South Australians.

  16. There’s absolutely no chance another circuit hosts this race, it will either continue at PI or Australia loses their motogp round.

    FIM will never homologate a street circuit, Liberty Media can kick, scream and whinge all they want. Albert Park would have to be extensively modified and Adelaide cannot be modified. Neither will happen.

    Dorna have been asking the circuit for a long time to improve access to the paddock, increase the size of the paddock and upgrade the pits and media centre. So far no real money has been committed from the Victorian Government, so that’s where we’re at, the Government slinging mud in the media.

    There’s no chance it’ll end up at The Bend. Although The Bend is closer to Adelaide than PI is to Melbourne’s CBD, Melbourne is a significantly more expansive city and the fringe of metropolitan Melbourne extends to around 45 minutes from PI and has many public transport options, including increased cheap transport for the race. It is also very accessibly for people living on the east coast. By contrast, The Bend is remote from the population of Eastern Australia.

    I would expect, especially given the backlash, that more money is budgeted by the government to upgrade the facilities providing Liberty offers a long term contract.