The 2026 Australian Grand Prix has been cancelled following multiple delays caused by adverse weather conditions at Phillip Island.
The final-ever MotoGP race at the iconic Phillip Island circuit was initially scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM local time but was postponed to 4:30 PM in an attempt to allow weather conditions to improve. However, 25 minutes before the pit lane was set to open, the championship announced the race had been officially called off.
While Melbourne continued to experience heavy rainfall, limited visibility remained the primary concern, preventing MotoGP’s medical helicopter from operating safely. Championship regulations require the helicopter to remain on standby in case a rider needs immediate transportation to a medical facility.
“Due to limited visibility affecting the operation of the medical helicopter at the Red Bull Grand Prix of Australia, the MotoGP Grand Prix race has been cancelled,” stated MotoGP in an official announcement.
“As a farewell gesture to the Island, MotoGP riders will conduct a lap behind the safety car and stop on the main straight to greet fans.
“The pit lane will open for the farewell lap at 15:45 local time.”
Track activities for the day were originally scheduled to commence at 9:40 AM with the MotoGP warm-up session. This was subsequently rescheduled to 11:00 AM before being cancelled entirely. The Moto3 and Moto2 races at Phillip Island were also called off sequentially as the day progressed, in order to prioritize the premier class.
This was followed by confirmation that the MotoGP race had also been scrapped.
Nevertheless, the thousands of fans who travelled to the island will still witness the MotoGP bikes, with two parade laps scheduled behind the safety car.
Poor weather had been forecast throughout the weekend at Phillip Island, with conditions deteriorating on Sunday as predicted. There were early discussions about MotoGP proactively adjusting the schedule at the beginning of the weekend, but no such modifications were ultimately implemented.
All sessions on Saturday proceeded according to schedule, with qualifying taking place in wet conditions before the track dried sufficiently for the sprint race.
The cancellation of the Australian GP will provide relief to Aprilia’s Jorge Martin, who was declared unfit after sustaining an arm fracture on Saturday and would have risked losing additional championship points had the race proceeded. The Spaniard aims to compete in next week’s Malaysian Grand Prix following CT scans that revealed no further complications from his injury.
Ducati’s Marc Márquez departs Australia as the new championship leader, holding a 10-point advantage over Martin and a 50-point lead over the other Aprilia rider, Marco Bezzecchi.