It is an extraordinary place not only because it is home to a colony of the world's smallest penguins, the largest seal colony in Australia and a koala conservation centre, but also because it’s also home to the World Superbike event when the series arrives in Australia for the 3rd round of the 2001 Championship.

The Australian wild life will get just a little wilder on 20th , 21st and 22nd of April as Australian rider, Troy Bayliss (Team Ducati Infostrada) will try to go one position better than the 2nd places he has scored in all 4 of the races so far this year! 

Competing back in his own country and going head to head with fellow Australian, Troy Corser might be just what he needs to grasp the lead in the World Superbike Championship as well as prove that he really is “The Wonder from Down Under”. 

Ben Bostrom (Team Ducati L&M),  will be looking for a repeat of his incredible performance in South Africa.  The Dunlop-shod Ducati rider will be hoping to improve on two disappointing, low finishes at Phillip Island last year.

Team Suzuki Alstare are confident of a good result at Phillip Island in Australia, as it continues to learn about the new for 2001 GSX-R750 Superbike. 

The team has recorded steady top 10 finishes in the opening two rounds of the season as both riders come to terms with their new racing machinery, which they are sure has the potential to win races. 

Italian ace Pierfrancesco Chili finished third in the second race at Phillip Island last year and is hoping to go two steps better this time around. 

For his team-mate, Frenchman Stephane Chambon, the start of this season has been a new learning experience as he gets to grips with the set-up and power characteristics of a Superbike compared to the Supersport machine he won two World titles on. 

Both riders are hoping the long 190mph straight at the 4.448 kilometre circuit will let them make the most advantage of their GSX-R750s, which seem to have good top end power and speed.

Pierfrancesco Chili - "I am hoping for better things. The 2001 bike is very different to the 2000 bike and we are developing it during the races. Phillip Island is a much more flowing track then Valencia or Kyalami, so I am hoping that I can make a much better result. The team has worked so hard this year it would be good to reward them with a good performance." 

Stephane Chambon - "I've ridden at Phillip Island before ­ but not on a Superbike. I have a lot to learn about the 2001 GSX-R750 Suzuki. I hope Phillip Island will be better for us, because it's a more flowing track then the first two this season." 

Neil Hodgson and James Toseland, riders for GSE Racing, are looking forward to Phillip Island.

“I love going to Phillip Island and the surrounding area, but I’ve never managed to get a good result there in my previous three years of competing in the Superbike World Championship,” said the 27-year old, current British Superbike Champion. “I’ve managed the odd fast lap, so I’ll be aiming for a more consistent performance.

“My overall objective will be to secure two, good points-scoring rides and improve on what has been a frustrating start to the season for everyone in the GSE Racing team. We’ve learnt a lot from the first two rounds and I think that we’ll soon be challenging the new factory bikes.

“The two Troys - Corser and Bayliss - will obviously be hard to beat in their home event. Colin Edwards is another rider who always seems to go well at the island. However, I’ve been training hard since Kyalami and I’m in a great frame of mind for any challenges that lie ahead.”

Corser had this to say, "Philip Island is one of my favourite ­ if not the favourite ­ tracks. For a start, it's a track for real racers and although it's hard to master, the rewards when you get it right are tremendous. Of course, it's also a track I've raced many time before I left Australia to live in Europe, so it's a chance for me to race in front of my own fans again and that always makes it a bit special. It's always great racing in Australia and meeting my old friends again, plus racing in front of my family. They'll be on the Island cheering me on and hoping that I'll win at least one race. Of course, I'm aiming to win both races and extend my championship lead and that's what I'm gunning for. I'm not going to be going round, just chasing minor places, I'm out for maximum points ­ or as close as I can get. Last year was a bit special because it was Aprilia's first ever WSC win and they just couldn't believe it. We sort of thought we'd get on the podium after a couple of races and maybe win by about halfway through the season, so to win in the second race of the year was tremendous. Unfortunately, I didn't finish one of the races last year, but this year will be different and I'm aiming to leave the Island and go to Japan with a hatful of points."

Twenty-year-old Toseland will experience his first race at the Australian circuit this weekend, but had the opportunity to test at Phillip Island in 1998 on a World Supersport machine.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back on the GSE Ducati. I’m feeling more in tune with the bike and am now more able to judge how it is going to react in different situations,” said the young rider from Sheffield. “It has been a steep learning curve for me, but the team has been great and made the transition really smooth… it’s like they are my second family!”

Toseland has spent many hours at the local gym strengthening his right leg after he broke a femur in a test session in August last year: “I’ve been training hard to make sure I’m in peak condition and competitive for every race. I’m feeling stronger and fitter all the time.”

The works Honda team have not had the start they would have liked so far in 2001 but Colin Edwards reckons he can win both legs at Phillip Island.

"We know what we've got to do in Australia and I'm confident I can win both races at Phillip Island," says Edwards. "The Castrol VTR has always gone well at Phillip Island and since the last race at Kyalami three weeks ago the Japanese engineers at HRC and our own Castrol Honda team staff have been working very hard. A Honda retiring from a race is almost unheard of in motorcycling and they now want to guarantee it will never happen again."

Edwards added: "Michelin have worked very hard over the winter and what they achieved for us at Kyalami in the last round will also come into play at Phillip Island this weekend - I'm confident we have the right package for the Australian round."

Luckless Tady Okada, a newcomer to World Superbike and Edwards' team-mate in the Castrol Honda squad, is still to score his first points but the talented Japanese rider lists the Phillip Island track as one of his favourites and he is intent on success in Australia on Sunday.

"It's been a difficult start to the year for my team," admits Okada. "I'm disappointed not to be on the championship leaderboard but I'm not bothered too much for myself, more for the team. I've seen them work very hard in the opening two rounds and it's for them that I want to do well at Phillip Island on Sunday."

Okada adds: "I now feel more comfortable than I've ever felt on the VTR machine and Phillip Island is a great track for me so I want to repay some of the team's work and grab my first points of the year this weekend."

Stephane Chambon Profile - Pierfrancesco Chili Profile