Persistent rain forced the cancellation of the final MotoGP race at Phillip Island on Sunday, ending nearly three decades of the Australian Grand Prix at the renowned waterfront circuit. Organisers called off the MotoGP event along with the supporting Moto2 and Moto3 races due to unsafe track conditions and limited visibility caused by ongoing heavy rain. The decision came despite a sell-out crowd, marking a disappointing conclusion to Phillip Island’s tenure on the championship calendar.
The cancellation prevented reigning MotoGP champion Marc Márquez from extending his lead in the 2026 riders’ championship. Márquez, riding for Ducati, returned to the top of the standings after the Australian weekend with 365 points, holding a 10-point advantage over his closest rival Jorge Martin. Martin, who rides for Aprilia, had crashed in the sprint race on Saturday, sustaining a fractured right wrist that left his participation in upcoming rounds uncertain. Despite the injury, Martin has expressed a strong desire to compete at next week’s Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang.
Martin’s injury spared him from potentially losing ground at Phillip Island, where the 27-lap main race would have offered opportunities for Márquez’s rivals, including third-placed Marco Bezzecchi of Aprilia, to close the gap. Bezzecchi trails Márquez by 40 points but 50 according to one tally, underscoring the competitive tension as the season nears its conclusion with only four rounds remaining. Bezzecchi and other riders were also denied the chance to gain crucial points due to the cancellations.
Australian rider Jack Miller was among those visibly frustrated by the washout, as the event marked his farewell to MotoGP after 12 seasons and four wins. Miller, who is switching to the World Superbike series with Yamaha in 2027, had hoped to deliver a fitting farewell performance on home soil, starting fourth on the grid with his distinctive green-and-gold livery. “It’s a tough pill to swallow,” Miller told fans following the cancellation, which occurred when ongoing rain and compromised medical helicopter operations rendered the race unsafe to proceed.
The dates and location of future Australian MotoGP events are set to change. With Phillip Island’s contract expiring this year and negotiations with Victoria’s state government stalling due to differing visions for the race’s future, the Australian Grand Prix will move to a street circuit in Adelaide from 2027. This shift represents the first Australian MotoGP to be held in a city-centre setting, aligning with efforts to broaden the sport’s appeal.
Additional Australian riders affected by Sunday’s cancellations included Senna Agius, who was set to start seventh in Moto2 and is scheduled to join the premier class next season with KTM Tech3, and Joel Kelso, who had qualified on the front row in Moto3. Meanwhile, uncertainty remains over the status of the next round in Qatar, scheduled for early November, due to logistical concerns.
The Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang will be the next test for riders, including Márquez and an injury-hampered Martin, as the championship enters its final stages.