Parade laps and a Miller burnout followed cancellation. AGPC promised full Sunday refunds and partial refunds for multi-day ticketholders.

Australian MotoGP Cancelled

A hardened, sell-out crowd braved hours of traffic, muddy car parks and soaking rain at Phillip Island, only for the cancellation of Sunday’s Australian MotoGP to deny them the final Grand Prix race they came to see.

An Australian flag flies above fans in rain jackets and orange caps beside the wet Phillip Island circuit. — An Australian flag above the faithful who stayed to farewell Phillip Island despite the rain. – Image RbMotoLens

After hours of rolling delays, the MotoGP race was officially cancelled due to limited visibility affecting the operation of the medical helicopter. The decision followed the earlier cancellation of the ASBK support race and the Moto3 and Moto2 contests.

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation has promised full refunds for Sunday ticketholders and partial refunds for multi-day ticketholders, and says it is working with its ticketing partners to arrange the process.

Silver and gold Australian Grand Prix trophies on a table beside flowers and bottles of sparkling wine. — The trophies prepared for the Australian Grand Prix had no Sunday race winners to receive them. – Image RbMotoLens

Australian Grand Prix Corporation Statement

Poor visibility prevented the medical helicopter from operating safely today, resulting in the cancellation of Sunday’s on-track activities at the MotoGP Grand Prix of Australia 2026.

We know this is an incredibly disappointing outcome for fans, teams and everyone who has contributed to the event. Safety must always come first, and racing cannot take place without the medical helicopter able to operate.

To every fan who came to Phillip Island today, despite the conditions, thank you. Your support is a powerful reminder of the love for MotoGP and the special place Phillip Island holds in Australian motorsport.

We are working with our ticketing partners to facilitate the process for full refunds for Sunday ticketholders and partial refunds for multi-day ticketholders.

While this is not the way anyone wanted MotoGP’s time at Phillip Island to conclude, it does not diminish the incredible legacy of this event. We thank the fans, riders, teams, officials, volunteers, partners and the Phillip Island community who have made it so special over so many years.

Rolling delays and a long day for the faithful

A provisional 1630 MotoGP start had offered the faithful one last reason to keep waiting as officials looked for an improvement in visibility. That hope eventually disappeared with confirmation that the main event would not go ahead.

MotoGP bikes line the rain-soaked main straight beside riders, team members and umbrellas at Phillip Island. — The MotoGP field assembled on a soaked main straight for a farewell that should have followed a race. – Image RbMotoLens

For many spectators, the ordeal had begun long before they reached a spectator bank.

Hours in traffic gave way to muddy car parks that had filled, with thousands diverted towards Cowes to park and catch a bus back to the circuit. For some, that meant another hour or more waiting for transport before they could even get through the gates.

Spectators in rain jackets and ponchos fill a covered grandstand at Phillip Island. — The fans kept waiting through the delays, with wet-weather gear essential on a miserable Sunday. – Image RbMotoLens

Then came the trudge through more mud, followed by hours standing in the rain while each update pushed the prospect of racing further into the afternoon.

Those who had made the trip for Phillip Island’s final MotoGP meeting had plenty of reason to stay. Leaving meant giving up the chance to see that last race if conditions improved. Staying meant more waiting in the cold and wet, with no certainty there would be a race to watch.

They had braved just about everything the day could throw at them. Their persistence deserved a better reward.

Riders farewell the Island fans

The on-track farewell gave the MotoGP riders an opportunity to acknowledge the crowd, with parade laps behind the safety car and a stop on the main straight to greet the fans who had waited through such a miserable day.

MotoGP riders follow the BMW safety car through spray on the wet Phillip Island circuit, with spectators behind. — The safety car led the riders around a wet Phillip Island for the farewell laps. – Image RbMotoLens

Riders raised their hands to spectators as they toured the wet circuit, returning a little of the support that had kept people trackside through the delays.

MotoGP riders raise their hands to spectators while riding around a wet corner at Phillip Island. — The riders acknowledged spectators around the circuit after Sunday’s races were cancelled. – Image RbMotoLens

Marc Marquez waves from his red number 93 Ducati among a group of MotoGP riders on the wet farewell lap. — A wave from Saturday’s Sprint winner, Marc Marquez, as the riders farewelled the Island. – Image RbMotoLens

A final gathering on the grid

The bikes lined up on the soaked main straight, with the riders and teams joining the farewell beneath umbrellas. Bagnaia gave the crowd a thumbs-up, while Quartararo and the VR46 riders also acknowledged the fans.

Francesco Bagnaia smiles and gives a thumbs-up while holding a red Ducati umbrella in the rain. — Francesco Bagnaia greets the crowd from beneath a Ducati umbrella during the farewell. – Image RbMotoLens

Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio stand together beneath VR46 umbrellas in the rain. — VR46 team-mates Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio shared the wet farewell. – Image RbMotoLens

Fabio Quartararo smiles and raises a hand in greeting while wearing his Yamaha racing leathers. — Fabio Quartararo joined the farewell to the Phillip Island fans. – Image RbMotoLens

Miller’s thank-you to Phillip Island

Jack Miller’s helmet carried a message that summed up the occasion: ‘Thanks Phillip Island’. The Australian held it up and pointed to the words for the fans, then continued acknowledging those who had stayed to see the riders off.

Jack Miller holds up his helmet and points to its Thanks Phillip Island message in front of spectators. — Jack Miller’s helmet carried a simple message: ‘Thanks Phillip Island’. – Image RbMotoLens

Jack Miller gestures towards spectators in a grandstand while holding his balaclava and wearing yellow-and-green leathers. — Jack Miller acknowledges the fans who stayed for the farewell. – Image RbMotoLens

His yellow-and-green Pramac Yamaha added some colour to the wet grid, while a Turn Four burnout gave the crowd a smoky salute.

Jack Miller sits on his yellow-and-green Pramac Yamaha on the wet grid beside a team member. — Miller and his yellow-and-green Pramac Yamaha on the wet grid. – Image RbMotoLens

Jack Miller performs a burnout on his yellow-and-green number 43 Pramac Yamaha at Phillip Island's Turn Four, surrounded by white tyre smoke. — Jack Miller gives the Island faithful a smoky salute with a Turn Four burnout during the on-track entertainment staged after the Australian MotoGP was cancelled. – Image Pat Heuvel

Those gestures offered a small consolation after such a frustrating day. The medical helicopter’s inability to operate had made the delays about more than whether the riders could cope with a wet circuit. Safety had to come first, however bitter the disappointment for the crowd.

A reprieve for Jorge Martin

If there was a silver lining for anyone, it was Jorge Martin. Already ruled out following his Sprint crash, the Aprilia rider had faced watching Marc Marquez race for as many as another 25 points while he was unable to answer.

Marc Marquez holds a Ducati umbrella while being interviewed on the wet Phillip Island grid. — Marc Marquez spoke on the wet grid after a weekend in which he won the Sprint and regained the championship lead. – Image RbMotoLens

Marquez’s Sprint victory had put him ten points clear of Martin. A Grand Prix win would have stretched that advantage to 35 points. Instead, cancellation leaves the gap at ten, sparing the injured Martin a potentially significant further blow to his championship campaign.

Marc Marquez's number 93 Ducati and blue helmet on the wet grid, with team members and umbrellas behind. — Marquez’s number 93 Ducati had no Sunday Grand Prix to contest after Saturday’s Sprint victory. – Image RbMotoLens

Jorge Martin on his Aprilia alongside Marc Marquez on his Ducati during Saturday's Phillip Island MotoGP Sprint. — Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez gave us a memorable fight in Saturday’s Sprint before Martin’s crash ended his weekend. – Image RbMotoLens

Saturday gave us one last great race

Phillip Island deserved a much better farewell than this. At least we can look back on a great Sprint Race on Saturday, when Marquez and Martin went toe to toe before the Aprilia rider’s crash, and Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio kept the winner honest all the way to the flag.

Just 0.590 seconds covered the Ducati trio on the podium, a reminder of the close racing this circuit has given us so often. You can revisit it in our full Phillip Island Sprint report, results and championship standings.

Marc Marquez leads Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio along the main straight during Saturday's Phillip Island MotoGP Sprint. — Marc Marquez led Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio home in Saturday’s Sprint, with just 0.590 seconds covering the podium. – Image RbMotoLens

That is the Phillip Island we will miss.

MotoGP Championship Points


Pos	Rider	Points
1	M. Marquez	365
2	J. Martin	355
3	M. Bezzecchi	315
4	P. Acosta	263
5	A. Ogura	259
6	F. Di Giannantonio	252
7	R. Fernandez	236
8	A. Marquez	181
9	F. Bagnaia	166
10	F. Aldeguer	125
11	E. Bastianini	122
12	L. Marini	108
13	B. Binder	108
14	D. Moreira	76
15	F. Quartararo	74
16	F. Morbidelli	59
17	J. Zarco	51
18	J. Mir	33
19	J. Miller	31
20	A. Rins	25
21	T. Razgatlioglu	18
22	M. Viñales	12
23	I. Lecuona	10
24	A. Fernandez	6
25	P. Espargaro	5
26	S. Chantra	3
27	T. Nakagami	3
28	C. Crutchlow	0
29	J. Folger	0
30	L. Savadori	0
31	M. Pirro	0
32	A. Espargaro	0

MotoGP Calendar


Rnd	Date	Event	Circuit
1	01 Mar	Thai	Chang International Circuit
2	22 Mar	Brazil*	Autodromo Internacional Ayrton Senna
3	29 Mar	US	Circuit of the Americas
4	26 Apr	Spain**	Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto
5	10 May	France	Le Mans
6	17 May	Catalonia	Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
7	31 May	Italy	Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello
8	07 Jun	Hungary	Balaton Park Circuit
9	21 Jun	Czech	Automotodrom Brno
10	28 Jun	Netherlands	TT Circuit Assen
11	12 Jul	Germany	Sachsenring
12	09 Aug	GB	Silverstone Circuit
13	30 Aug	Aragon	MotorLand Aragon
14	13 Sep	San Marino	Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli
15	20 Sep	Austria	Red Bull Ring-Spielberg
16	04 Oct	Japan	Mobility Resort Motegi
17	11 Oct	Indonesia	Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit
18	25 Oct	Australia	Phillip Island
19	01 Nov	Malaysia	Petronas Sepang International Circuit
20	08 Nov	Qatar	Lusail International Circuit
21	22 Nov	Portugal	Autodromo Internacional do Algarve
22	29 Nov	Valencia	Circuit Ricardo Tormo