It's the 2026 Australian MotoGP weekend, and it's bittersweet this year for at least two reasons. One is, this will be Aussie racing hero Jack Miller's final race in the MotoGP series, and while he will be racing in World Superbike next year, it won't be the same.
And two, of course, is that this is the entire MotoGP paddock's extended goodbye weekend to the legendary Phillip Island circuit. The 500cc Motorcycle World Championship (predecessor to the modern MotoGP series) first touched down there in 1989, where another local hero, Wayne Gardner, neatly scooped up the very first series victory ever won on the circuit. While it's had its ups and downs, there's no doubt that many inside and outside the paddock will miss this very special place.
