‘A special place in my heart’: Stoner and fellow legends farewell the Island’s MotoGP

CASEY Stoner said Phillip Island would always hold a special place in his heart as he prepares to ride one last lap of the circuit with Mick Doohan and Wayne Gardner before its final MotoGP on Sunday.

“Phillip Island has given me some of the greatest memories of my career, and it’s a place that will always hold a special place in my heart,” Stoner said.

“I’m excited to be part of this final chapter and to share it with the fans. I know this will be a weekend we’ll remember for years to come.”

This weekend’s event is the 30th and last Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island, with the race moving to a new Adelaide street circuit from 2027.

Australia’s three premier-class world champions will take to the track together for a Legends Lap before the main race on Sunday October 25, joined by American 500cc world champion Kevin Schwantz.

Australian Grand Prix Corporation chief executive Travis Auld said the Island had shaped all three careers.

“Phillip Island has played a significant role in the racing careers of Casey Stoner, Mick Doohan and Wayne Gardner, and bringing all these champions together for this special celebration is something we know fans will love,” Auld said.

Between them the three Australians won eight premier-class world titles and nine premier-class races at Phillip Island, a run that helped make the Island one of the most celebrated circuits on the calendar.

Gardner won the inaugural Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at the circuit in 1989 and repeated the feat the following year, before Doohan clinched his fifth consecutive 500cc world title on home soil in 1998.

Stoner then made the Island his own with six straight wins from 2007 to 2012, including the 2011 race in which he secured his second world championship in front of his home crowd.

“These riders helped shape Australian motorcycle racing and inspired generations of competitors and fans,” Auld said.

“To see them together on track for the Legends Lap will be a memorable moment.”

Schwantz, who claimed 25 premier-class Grand Prix victories, became a fan favourite around the world for his distinctive riding style.

Doohan’s 1998 title-winning motorcycle will also be on display in the Expo on Friday and Saturday, giving fans a close look at the machine behind one of the most dominant eras in Grand Prix motorcycle racing.

Bass Coast’s own farewell begins on Thursday with a Homecoming Ride from San Remo to the circuit and on to Cowes, where the Cowes MotoGP Entertainment Precinct will broadcast the on-track action on a big screen through to Sunday.

Jimmy Barnes headlines the weekend on Saturday night and Jet will perform at the track after Sunday’s race.

An Ernst and Young study in 2023 found the MotoGP delivered $54.4 million in direct local spending within Bass Coast and supported about 284 full-time equivalent jobs.

Last year’s race drew the biggest crowd since 2012, while Supercars will return to the circuit from 2027 under a five-year deal announced last week.

Tickets are available at motogp.com.au/tickets.