Oct 25 (Reuters) – The final Australian MotoGP at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit was called off on Sunday due to heavy rain, ruining the farewell for one of the championship’s most beloved circuits.
It was a crushing blow for the sold-out crowd at Phillip Island, with the Australian Grand Prix moving to the streets of Adelaide next year.
The Moto2 and Moto3 races were cancelled first and the MotoGP race was delayed by two hours due to the weather, before organisers threw in the towel and finally called it off at 3:40 p.m. (0440 GMT).
“Due to limited visibility affecting the operation of the medical helicopter the MotoGP Grand Prix race has been cancelled,” MotoGP said in a statement.
“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.”
RIDER PARADE
The dark clouds and pelting rain brought down the visibility around the circuit, affecting the medical helicopter, which would take 45 minutes to reach the circuit from mainland Melbourne in an emergency.
Other than two years lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, the seaside track south of Melbourne had been a fixture on the world championship calendar for 30 years and produced some of Australian motorcycling’s most memorable moments.
Australian two-times world champion Casey Stoner celebrated six wins in succession from 2007 to 2012, while compatriot Mick Doohan sealed his fifth and final world title with victory in the 1998 race.
The raincoat-clad fans who persevered through the rain were treated to a farewell lap from the MotoGP riders, who waved as they slowly made their way around a soaking wet track.
Home racer Jack Miller did his best to entertain his supporters with a series of tricks, including a stand-up wheelie over the finish line, before heading over to the grandstand and throwing his gloves and boots into the crowd.
MILLER DEJECTED, SIGH OF RELIEF FOR MARTIN
The Pramac Racing rider, a very strong performer in the wet, cut a dejected figure when he was interviewed after completing his lap.
“This is a tough pill to swallow,” said the 31-year-old, who will be leaving MotoGP at the end of the season after more than a decade to join Pata Maxus Yamaha in the World Superbike Championship.
“You know, I was praying for rain all weekend. We got the rain, but obviously we weren’t organised enough to get the racing going, so it’s a tough one.
“You guys deserve better. Honestly, all of you have done a fantastic job turning out for Phillip Island, sitting through traffic, sitting through dog-shit weather, all the rest of it. You guys are amazing. Thank you very much.”
Rain had been expected for the weekend, but MotoGP did not revive its 2023 strategy for the circuit, when the Grand Prix was moved ahead to Saturday and the sprint scheduled for Sunday.
That sprint race three years ago was eventually called off.
The cancellation of the race also ended the opportunity for seven-times MotoGP champion Marquez to extend his lead in the championship standings, with his title rival Martin declared unfit to compete in the race after fracturing his wrist.
Martin held the championship lead heading into the weekend but finds himself 10 points behind Marquez after failing to finish Saturday’s sprint after a gruesome crash.
On Sunday, Martin’s team Aprilia said he would not travel back to Spain to undergo treatment, however, boosting the 2024 champion’s hopes of racing at next week’s Malaysian Grand Prix and remaining in the title fight.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus and William Mallard)
