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Steeped in MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship history, the circuit is located off the southern coast of Australia, about 140 kilometers from Melbourne. Phillip Island has hosted the WorldSBK season opener more than any other track, 16 times in total. In fact, with 70 appearances, Phillip Island is the circuit that has hosted the most-ever WorldSBK races, two more than TT Assen Circuit with 68.

CORNER BY CORNER: Phillip Island’s key sectors

The track has become a fixture in the WorldSBK schedule due to its popularity with riders for its high speeds, the fastest sector being the 835m Gardner Straight. It was that stretch where in 2024, Xavi Vierge set the record for the fastest-ever top speed seen at the track atop his Honda CBR1000RR-R with a blistering 335.4 km/h. The track allows riders to carry speed unlike almost any other track on the schedule as it lacks the same heavy braking zones seen on other circuits.  Down along the right-hand Doohan Corner, riders enter the daunting Southern Loop, its wide circumference allowing riders to carry speed through the corner well. Upon exiting the turn, riders find themselves on the approach into Stoner Corner, a gradual left-hand bend allowing for similarly high speeds and daring overtake attempts. Perhaps most famously, this corner saw the career ending crash for four-time World Champion Carl Fogarty as he overtook Robert Ulm and his malfunctioning Ducati on the outside.

“A COOL, OLD-SCHOOL PLACE TO RIDE”: Alex Lowes on Phillip Island

Turn 4 features a sharp right-hand hairpin turn, dubbed Miller Corner after MotoGP™ rider Jack Miller, forcing riders to dump speed as they put a knee down and rotate back into famous Turn 6.  Siberia loops wider than Miller Corner, and feeds into a section of the track beloved by riders like 2024 Tissot Superpole Race and Race 2 winner, Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team), who at the time was racing with the Kawasaki Racing Team. Lowes spoke about the track and specified his preference for the ‘Hayshed’ section of slight right to left bends, into the famous Lukey Heights.

“From Turn 6, all the way through the hayshed, Lukey Heights, so Turns 6,7,8,9, all of this is fantastic, completely blind as you come up over the top of Lukey Heights with your bike sliding. I like all the track but this I’d say is my best sector,” said Lowes. “The old-school layout of the track makes it unique, so many corners where you’re turning the bike on the throttle which makes it such a tough track for the rear tire, leading to so many awesome pictures of the bike sliding. I think it’s one of the highest average speed tracks that we ride at, so it’s a cool, old-school place to come and ride.”

Exiting Lukey Heights, riders get on the brakes for the final hard-braking zone before the softer-curving lefthanded T11 and T12, which spits riders back out onto the Gardner Straight to take the chequered flag.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND: Details to consider ahead of this weekend

Phillip Island’s lack of heavy braking zones may play a role in Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) only earning a single win at Phillip Island so far in his career, this weekend may spell more of the same for ‘El Turco’ as he still recovers from his off-season finger injury. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) has always performed well here at Phillip Island, making him a dark horse fans will do well not to forget this weekend, his worst-ever finish here is only fifth place when he has finished the race, and in 2020 back in his World Supersport days, he topped the podium. ‘Loka’ is not the only Yamaha rider to keep in mind however, Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) might play the hometown hero this weekend as riders from down under seem to have a particular affinity for this track. Australian Riders have won races here 23 times, including a famous double from Aussie rider Troy Bayliss back in 2008. Ultimately, whoever claims the podium spot, Phillip Island always makes for exciting racing, and in particular, thrilling finishes, as no less than 18 races here were decided by less than a tenth of a second.

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