FINAL AUSTRALIAN MOTOGP AT PHILLIP ISLAND CANCELLED

MotoGP has taken the decision to cancel the final Australian Grand Prix at the world-famous Phillip Island circuit.

MotoGP bikes at Phillip Island. Credit: Gold and Goose.

Sadly for MotoGP fans, there has been no final Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, after the championship’s organisers were forced to cancel today’s race due to bad weather causing visibility issues for the medical helicopter.

A statement from MotoGP said: 

“Due to limited visibility affecting the operation of the medical helicopter at the Red Bull Grand Prix of Australia, the MotoGP Grand Prix race has been cancelled.

"As a farewell to the Island, the MotoGP riders will do a lap behind the safety car and stop on the main straight to greet the fans. Pitlane will open for the farewell lap at 15:45 local time."

Jack Miller riding in the wet at Phillip Island.

 

The official cancellation of all races, including Moto2 and Moto3, comes after several updates from MotoGP throughout the day.

Organisers initially cancelled both the Moto3 and Moto2 races before confirming a new start time for the Australian MotoGP, which was two hours later than originally planned.

However, a final update soon followed confirming what was ultimately expected, which was the cancellation of the Australian GP. 

Ducati Lenovo Team Manager, Davide Tardozzi, agree with the decision to cancel the race, telling TNT Sports: 

“I think that, on the race track side, we raced in the past with even worse conditions. But in the end, safety first, so I think that in the worst condition I think the race direction made the most safe decision.”

Jack Miller performing a stoppie at Phillip Island for his home fans.

Phillip Island has been the host of every Australian MotoGP since 1997, although this year’s race was one of the most highly-anticipated due to the series’ expected move to Adelaide in 2027.

Today’s race could have also swayed the 2026 title fight firmly in Marc Marquez’s favour, with the Spaniard due to start from pole position, while championship rival Jorge Martin was ruled out of the Grand Prix following a crash during Saturday’s Sprint.

- Robert Jones

CLASSIC SEASON OPENER: MASIA CLAIMS VICTORY AS BAYLISS SECURES DREAM HONE PODIUM AT PHILLIP ISLAND

With his rostrum result, Bayliss becomes Australia’s youngest-ever WorldSSP podium finisher

Lights are out at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on the 2026 FIM Supersport World Championship campaign as the field sunk their teeth into the new season in Saturday’s Race 1! The first race of 2026’s 12 rounds featured Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) taking the first 25 points on offer for his third career WorldSSP win. Joining him on the campaign’s first podium was German rider Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) for his 14th podium in the category and home hero Oli Bayliss (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) who claimed his first WorldSSP rostrum.

MASIA FLIES OUT OF THE GATE IN 2026: He closed 2025 with a win, and now opens 2026 doing the same

Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) flew up from P4 to take the holeshot ahead of Valentin Debise (ZXMOTO Factory Evan Bros Racing) and Jaume Masia. The Spaniard flexed his Ducati Panigale V2’s straight line speed as he took P1 from the #61 and built up a healthy gap of nearly a second by the outset of Lap 3. The Spaniard converted his dominant pace in testing to land the first race win of the season, as from there he pulled away for the win; finishing the contest with a gap of over five seconds. Oettl missed the 2025 Australian Round with a knee injury, but this season, he started strong with a rostrum finish in second place. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) saw his race end on Turn 4 in the second lap as the bike slid out from under him as he battled with Oettl for the second spot on the podium.

FIVE-WAY FIGHT FOR THE PODIUM: Bayliss, Arena, Oncu, Mahias, and Debise trade blows

Oncu had a healthy gap of around a second behind him on Lap 8 as he rode in P3; until a mistake on that Lap saw Oli Bayliss, Valentin, Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team), and Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) close the gap and start a fight for the final podium spot. Debise had a tough break as he fell out of the fight on Lap 8 after he entered Turn 4 with a fraction too much lean angle and crashed out of Race 1. Bayliss took the lead of the group, until he lost the lead by running wide onto the grass on Turn 6 of Lap 13, just before Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) crashed out of the race on Turn 4. The Australian recovered well to hang with the other two riders, and after the trio traded overtakes throughout the final eight laps, it was Bayliss who came out on top, earning his first WorldSSP podium of his career. The bronze-medal effort got the monkey off of his back after the longest-ever wait for a WorldSSP podium of 84 races, and claimed Australia’s first rostrum result since Anthony West back in 2017.

ARENAS HITS THE GROUND RUNNING: The Spanish rider starts his WorldSSP story in P4

Behind them, Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) rode well in his WorldSSP debut, finishing P4 with the feather in his cap of winning the final laps shootout with the title favourite Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing). Despite his incredible jump off the line, the Turk’s early mistake proved critical, erasing his gap and miring him in a wrestling match through which he fell to P5. Matteo Ferrari (WRP Racing) ran a clean race, taking advantage of other riders’ errors to land a strong debut result of sixth place.

VOSTATEK TIES CAREER HIGH: The Czech rider maintained his strong speed from testing

Ondrej Vostatek (Compos Racing Team) tied his career-best result of P7 in the season-opening race, emerging just +0.158 faster than 2025 MotoE Champion Alessandro Zaccone (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team), who took P8. Spanish riders Roberto Garcia (GMT94 Yamaha) and Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team) landed in the final two positions of the top ten. Alcoba’s effort landed him as the top Kawasaki, as his two-time WorldSSP Champion teammate Dominique Aegerter (Kawaski WorldSSP Team) suffered a tech issue on the last lap and finished in P23.

The top ten of the season-opening WorldSSP Race 1 at Australia: Full results here!

 1. Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing Verdnatura)

 2. Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) +5.521s

 3. Oli Bayliss (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) +7.266s

 4. Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) +7.721s

 5. Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +7.743s

 6. Matteo Ferrari (WRP Racing) +11.856s

 Fastest lap: Jaume Masia, Ducati – 1’32.310s

Catch the final race of the season-opening Australian Round on Sunday LIVE with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

- WORLDSBK 

QATAR AIRWAYS AUSTRALIAN MOTORCYCLE GRAND PRIX | TISSOT SPRINT | PHILLIP ISLAND