MotoGP begins today but Barry Sheene ride cancelled!

The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix kicks off today and runs through until Sunday.

Cowes will come to life during the MotoGP, with free entertainment and activities over the extended weekend.

The bottom area of Thompson Avenue will become a licensed festival zone on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, featuring a super screen and stage, showing race highlights, including a replay of the MotoGP race, as well as plenty of live music.

The free activities were due to kick off today (Thursday), with the 18^th annual Barry Sheene Ride, featuring upwards of 500 riders, passing through Wonthaggi from Bairnsdale but the official ride was cancelled an hour before its scheduled start in East Gippsland.

Some of the riders coming to the Island for the GP may still ride in groups to the Island but there will be no official support and the traditional ride around the track has also been cancelled.

Operations Manager for the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, Tom Mottram said on ABC Radio this morning that weather conditions had simply made it too dangerous for a large group ride.

He said it was a risk having a large group of riders riding close together where they might be throwing up water from the road or potholes which was a situation best avoided.

However, while Thursday is expected to cop the worst of the weather, Mr Mottram said predictions for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the busiest days of the grand prix were expected to be much better for the event and the organisers were still expecting a big crowd to build over the weekend.

If you want to get a taste of the action at the track, Bass Coast residents are eligible for free general admission to the track on Friday, by showing proof of residency at the Gate 1 ticket box.

After a day at the track, there will be live entertainment in Cowes, starting with local performers Alysha & Duffy at 6.00pm followed by The Laing Bros at 9.00pm.

The Cowes main stage will have live entertainment for much of the day on Saturday, with Bern Carroll at 6.00pm and Thunderstruck headlining at 9.00pm. The extended licenced outdoor area will remain open until 12.00am.

On Race Day (Sunday), the Cowes main stage will come back to life with a replay of the 2022 MotoGP race shown on the super screen at 7.00pm, with live music from Rehash, who will play from 6.00pm to 10.00pm, when the entertainment finishes.

The Red Bull planes will be conducting an aerobatic display near the Grand Prix Circuit over the weekend. The planes will perform an aerial display from 1.25pm to 1.35pm on Sunday. The timing of the display will be subject to weather conditions. This display, while thrilling to watch, can be loud and disruptive to animals so please ensure you keep your pets safe during these times.

The weekend of events may create traffic congestion.

From Friday to Sunday, Gap Road south of Back Beach Road will be closed to traffic, and Gap Road north of Back Beach Road will have restricted access from Ventnor Beach Road between 7.30am and 7.30pm.

Gap Road residents will have access via Phillip Island Road at all times.

On Sunday, Back Beach Road will operate as one way only from Beachcomber Avenue to the Circuit, between 6.30am and midday. Later in the day, from 2.00pm to 6.00pm, the one way will change direction, operating from the Circuit to Phillip Island Road, Melbourne bound.

The blue line will be in operation on Phillip Island Road between Back Beach Road and the Bass Highway merge on Sunday from 3.00pm to 7.00pm.

Traffic on Phillip Island Road can become extremely busy on Monday, when many of the event goers and workers leave the Island. If possible, please avoid travel on Phillip Island Road from 9.00am until around 1.00pm.