Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit at a glance
- Location
- Ventnor, Phillip Island, Victoria
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 4.445 km (2.764 mi)
- Turns
- 12
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1956
- Owner
- Linfox
- Phone
- +61 3 5952 2710
- Website
- phillipislandcircuit.com.au
Track map and layout
Phillip Island is widely rated one of the best-flowing road courses in world motorsport: a fast, undulating 4.445 km lap on a headland exposed to sea wind off Bass Strait, with barely a slow corner to interrupt the rhythm. From Doohan Corner the track sweeps down toward the coast, through Stoner and Miller Corners and the remote Siberia section, before climbing hard up Lukey Heights and plunging back down into the tight Turn 10 hairpin that is one of the few genuine braking zones on the lap. The run back along Gardner Straight sets up the final left-right flick onto the front straight. Because so much of the circuit is committed high-speed corners rather than stop-start sections, it rewards momentum and punishes mistakes, and it is consistently ranked by riders and drivers among their favourite tracks anywhere.
Named corners and sections
- Doohan Corner (Turn 1). The heavy-braking first corner off the front straight, named for five-time 500cc world champion Mick Doohan.
- Stoner Corner (Turn 3). Named in 2012 for Casey Stoner, this fast right-hander is taken at high commitment speed early in the lap.
- Miller Corner (Turn 4). Long known as Honda Corner, renamed in 2019 to honour Australian MotoGP rider Jack Miller.
- Siberia. The most remote part of the circuit on its south-eastern corner, fully exposed to Bass Strait wind and named for how cold and isolated it feels.
- MG. A fast corner on the back of the lap, one of several named for long-time circuit sponsors from the venue's earlier eras.
- Lukey Heights (Turn 9). A climbing left-hander named after Len Lukey, the businessman who bought and ran the circuit through the 1960s and 70s; the track crests here before a steep drop to Turn 10.
- Gardner Straight. The circuit's 900 m back straight, named for 1987 500cc world champion Wayne Gardner.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix Circuit (1988-present) | 4.45 km | Current 12-turn layout reopened in December 1988 after refurbishment |
Events and race weekends
The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix in October is the marquee date, the season-closing or near-closing round of MotoGP and a fixture at Phillip Island since 1989. The Superbike World Championship opens or runs early in its season here in February, drawing a similarly strong international crowd. The circuit also hosts the historic Phillip Island Classic in the shoulder season, GT and Supercars-adjacent club racing, and the Victorian State Circuit Racing Championship rounds through the year.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix | MotoGP | October | At Phillip Island continuously since 1997 and intermittently since 1989 |
| Australian Round, Superbike World Championship | WorldSBK | February | Traditionally the season-opening or early-season round |
| Phillip Island Classic | Historic racing | varies (typically autumn) | Heritage motorcycle and car racing weekend |
Getting there and parking
Phillip Island sits about 140 km south-east of Melbourne, roughly a two-hour drive via the South Gippsland Highway and the Phillip Island Bridge at San Remo, the only road link to the island. Melbourne Airport is on the far side of the city, so allow closer to two and a half hours from the terminal, especially in Grand Prix weekend traffic funnelling over the single bridge. There is no train to the island; coach transfers run from Melbourne on event weekends, but most visitors drive or hire a car.
- Melbourne Airport (MEL) · about 150 min drive
Parking
General event parking is available in paddocks around the circuit for a fee on Grand Prix and WorldSBK weekends; traffic backs up heavily at the San Remo bridge and circuit access roads, so organisers advise arriving well before the first sessions.
Because the island has one road bridge on and off, build in extra time on both the drive down and the drive home on major event days, and expect strong, cool coastal wind at the circuit even on a fine day.
Hotels and camping near Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
Cowes, the island's main town about a 15-20 minute drive from the circuit, has the bulk of Phillip Island's hotels, motels and holiday parks and is the default base for most visitors. Rooms on the island sell out and prices spike well ahead of the October MotoGP and February WorldSBK weekends, so regulars book a year out; overflow visitors stay in San Remo on the mainland side of the bridge or commute from greater Melbourne.
Where to look
Cowes is the main accommodation hub; Ventnor and Rhyll on the island, and San Remo just across the bridge on the mainland, are the closest fallback options once Cowes is booked out.
Camping
Official trackside and near-track campgrounds (including Trackside and Highside North/South) open for MotoGP week, with standard, powered, premium and pre-pitched tent options sold separately from event tickets through the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix ticketing site.
RV
Powered sites suitable for caravans and campervans are available within the official MotoGP campgrounds, alongside general holiday parks in Cowes and San Remo that take RVs year-round.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
The circuit runs its own branded Phillip Island Ride Days for motorcycles, operated by Motorcycling Events Group Australia, with regular non-competitive lapping days through the year and a free first-timers program for new trackday riders. Champions Ride Days also runs sessions at Phillip Island for both cars and bikes, and the circuit's Get On Track program lists club and private hire days for cars, bikes and karts.
Who runs days here
- Phillip Island Ride Daysmotorcycle
- Champions Ride Daysboth
Typical cost: Phillip Island Ride Days run roughly A$235/day in the pre-season (May-Sept) and A$285/day in peak season (Oct-Apr) for online bookings
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MotoGP | 1:27.765 | Marc Márquez | Ducati Desmosedici GP24 | 2024 |
| WorldSBK (Superpole/test benchmark) | 1:28.511 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | Yamaha YZF-R1 | 2024 |
| Supercars Championship | 1:30.9508 | Scott McLaughlin | Ford Mustang GT (Gen2 Supercar) | 2019 |
Spectator guide
Phillip Island's grandstands and hillside general admission areas take advantage of the headland's natural terrain, with much of the outer part of the lap visible from elevated banks. The hill above Lukey Heights and the vantage points overlooking Siberia and the MG section are favoured by regulars for seeing riders lean into fast, committed corners rather than just braking zones.
Seating
Grandstands line the pit straight and Doohan Corner; general-admission hill areas around Lukey Heights, Siberia and the Southern Loop give free vantage over multiple corners.
Best places to watch
The rise above Lukey Heights and the hillside near Siberia offer sweeping views across several fast corners and the coastline; Doohan Corner and the front straight suit fans who want start/finish and braking-zone action.
Weather
- February (WorldSBK): Southern Victorian summer, typically mild to warm with highs around 20-24°C, but coastal wind can be strong and changeable
- October (MotoGP): Spring conditions, highs generally 16-19°C with a real chance of rain and gusty wind off Bass Strait; warm layers are recommended even on a sunny day
History of Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
From island road circuit to permanent track
Phillip Island's motor racing history predates the current venue: a public-road circuit near Cowes hosted the first Australian Grand Prix in 1928. A dedicated permanent circuit was later built at Ventnor, with construction starting in 1952 and the track opening in December 1956. It quickly became a fixture of Australian motorsport, but the demanding 1962 Armstrong 500 endurance race left the surface too damaged for its owners to repair, and the circuit closed.
Lukey's circuit and a second closure
Businessman Len Lukey bought and rebuilt the track, reopening it in October 1967 and running the Phillip Island 500 endurance race through the 1970s. Lukey Heights, the climbing corner that remains one of the circuit's signatures, takes his name. Following Lukey's death in 1978 the circuit again fell into disuse for a decade.
Rebirth as a Grand Prix venue
A refurbishment shortened and modernised the layout to its current 4.445 km, 12-turn form, and the circuit reopened on 4 December 1988. The Australian motorcycle Grand Prix joined the newly created 500cc/MotoGP world championship calendar at Phillip Island from 1989, cementing the track's reputation among riders as one of the best on the calendar for its speed and flow. Australian riders Wayne Gardner and Mick Doohan, both multiple world champions, are honoured with named corners and the back straight. Ownership passed to logistics magnate Lindsay Fox's Linfox group in 2005, which has continued to invest in the venue; WorldSBK returned to open its season here in most recent years, and MotoGP's October date remains the biggest weekend on the Victorian motorsport calendar, regularly drawing crowds in the tens of thousands per day.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Phillip Island circuit?+
4.445 km (2.764 mi) with 12 turns, run clockwise.
Why do riders and drivers rate Phillip Island so highly?+
Most of the lap is made up of fast, flowing corners rather than stop-start braking zones, and the exposed coastal setting adds wind and changing conditions that reward smoothness and commitment.
What is the MotoGP lap record at Phillip Island?+
1:27.765, set by Marc Márquez on a Ducati during the 2024 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix.
Can the public ride or drive Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit?+
Yes, through official Phillip Island Ride Days for motorcycles and Champions Ride Days sessions for cars and bikes, both run on non-race dates throughout the year.
Where do people camp for the MotoGP weekend?+
The circuit runs official Trackside and Highside campgrounds with powered, standard and premium sites, sold separately from event tickets and popular enough that regulars book a year ahead.
Where is the best base for visiting Phillip Island Circuit?+
Cowes, the island's main town about 15-20 minutes from the circuit, has the most accommodation; rooms there and in San Remo across the bridge sell out early for the October MotoGP and February WorldSBK rounds.
Other tracks nearby
- Sandown International Motor Raceway · 62 km · road course
- Albert Park Circuit · 76 km · street circuit
- Calder Park Raceway · 102 km · road course & oval (Thunderdome dormant)
- Winton Motor Raceway · 233 km · road course
- Symmons Plains Raceway · 391 km · road course
- Baskerville Raceway · 503 km · road course
Facts checked against 6 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-10.