Bad weather forces cancellation of MotoGP at Phillip Island

Sunday's MotoGP race at Phillip Island in Australia was cancelled because of rain and poor visibility. Organisers had delayed the event before ultimately calling it off after earlier sessions were abandoned.

The race would have been the final MotoGP meeting at the circuit off the coast of Melbourne. After cancelling Moto2 and Moto3, organisers attempted to run the top-class race by pushing it back several hours, and the track looked dry in some areas as the rain eased off.

Organisers cited an inability for medical helicopters to operate over the venue as the decisive factor in the cancellation. Race director Graham Webb said: "The helicopter needs a window of around 60 minutes in both places - Phillip Island and Melbourne - in order for us to start the race. "Just based on safety, we need to make sure that, if we do have any issues, we're covered, we can get a rider quickly to hospital. "Most circuits, we can reach a circuit within 45 minutes, which is our regulation, but here in Phillip Island the hospital is further than 45 minutes by road and therefore we rely on the air ambulance."

Reigning champion Marc Marquez has won four times at Phillip Island in the top class.

Phillip Island has been a regular on the world championship calendar for 30 years, other than two seasons lost to the coronavirus pandemic. Australian two-time world champion Casey Stoner celebrated six wins in succession from 2007 to 2012, and Mick Doohan sealed his fifth and final world title with victory in the 1998 race.

The Australian MotoGP is scheduled to move to a new street circuit in Adelaide from next season, and Marquez leads the standings by 10 points with four races left.