With MotoGP’s exit fast approaching, speculation is swirling that Islanders might be about to miss the boat on WorldSBK as well
As the debate and community in-fighting continues in the wake of Phillip Island losing its round of MotoGP, nothing appears to be happening to either celebrate its final running in October or secure the future of WorldSBK after 2027.
Tickets to the 23-25 October round went on sale on 25 May and even before that, tour companies from New Zealand and other countries were offering package deals.
But despite a call-out from local businesses to the Bass Coast Shire Council to make the final round a spectacular event taking over Cowes, the silence has been deafening regarding any planned special events.
Even those with a strategy for the future, such as former Tourism Victoria CEO Jeff Floyd’s plan for a motoring festival, are accusing authorities of “drifting along”.
There also has been no statement from anyone in authority about the future of WorldSBK at the Island, with the current contract expiring after the February 2027 round because the 10 years is up.
Many observers are convinced that WorldSBK will move away from the Island next year but the situation is totally different to the loss of the MotoGP round.
That decision came after negotiations broke down between Dorna (via Liberty Media) and rightsholder Victoria’s Australian Grand Prix Corporation. The owners of the Phillip Island circuit venue, Linfox Property Group, were not directly involved.
However, the WorldSBK contract is directly between Dorna and Linfox Property Group. AMCN has reached out to MD Andrew Fox for comment with no response forthcoming.
The silence is inflaming internet speculation that WorldSBK will end up at South Australia’s Bend Motorsport Park. Its 4.95km International Circuit holds the appropriate FIM Grade A homologation and The Bend’s owner, Sam Shahin, was instrumental in securing MotoGP for Adelaide. However, when AMCN quizzed him up front about this at the ASBK round in early May, he said he hadn’t been approached by Dorna about this possibility.
This leads to another huge element in the Phillip Island WorldSBK controversy that most people are unaware of.
Australia is the only country outside Europe and the UK that hosts a leg of this 12-round world championship. We’ve done this pretty much continuously since its first season in 1988. Phillip Island has hosted more WorldSBK races than any other venue in the world.
With a booming motorcycle market in the Asia-Pacific region, it doesn’t take much imagination to think that right now some very hard-nosed negotiators are flatout convincing Dorna to bring this production-based championship to their cashed-up country.
Meanwhile, one man with a long involvement with Phillip Island’s hosting of MotoGP has stood up and pointed out some blunt realities.
John Pandazopoulos was a Labor Party member of the Victorian State Government between 1992 and 2014. At various times he held the ministerial portfolios of Tourism, Major Projects, and Sport and Recreation, so he is more than qualified to have an opinion.
Commenting on AMCN’s last news analysis (‘Island Fury’, Vol.75 No.15), he said: “The problem in this is that Phillip Island and Bass Coast Council have not kept their end of the bargain. When the Kennett Government first signed up the event, Dorna as event owners were promised hotel developments on site, more large-scale accommodation on the Island and a car ferry from the Mornington Peninsula to reduce the impact of one road in and one road out.
“When I was Tourism and Events Minister every time the contract came up for renewal these unfulfilled matters would always come up as a condition of renewal. As a government we supported these initiatives.
“Whilst more accommodation was built, it was slow to eventuate because of local resistance and other projects simply did not get off the ground.
“The Government funded a business case for the ferry, which showed it was viable. It was included as an ‘agreed’ project in the local Sustainable Destination Management Plan.
“In 2015 I became Chair of the Regional Tourism Organisation. With (Bass Coast) council support again these plans were put. Council buckled under community opposition and withdrew support. Some of those councillors are still on council complaining about this outcome.
“Whilst highly disappointing, local communities have to consider their role in providing ‘real’ support for these events rather than complaining from the sidelines.”
A powerful statement like this from the sidelines throws the ball back into the court for the locals to make a game-changing play.
Of course, it would be expected that the government sink in some dollars but there is a state election coming up in late November that could change the political landscape.
Whoever wins will have to manage a $167 billion state debt that includes a $115 million blowout to the $395m redevelopment of Albert Park’s F1 pitlane complex, mainly due to finding asbestos in the soil.
Throughout history there have been very few winners in motorsport. Those winners have succeeded due to an unwavering commitment to turn an idea into reality despite the great odds against them. Game on!
