Australian Grand Prix Preview

Oct 14, 2015
4 min read

MotoGP heads down under for the sixteenth round of the 2015 World Championship season and to the magnificent Phillip Island circuit. Situated just off the coast of Victoria, the Island has hosted motor racing events since 1928, but it wasn't until 1951 that the Grand Prix circuit was constructed.

In 1989 the first Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix took place at the circuit, the 500cc race being won by home hero Wayne Gardner on the Rothmans Honda. The race was held again in 1990, but changed hands in 1991. Due to a fallout between the local government and the sport over tobacco sponsorship, Eastern Creek became the host of the Australian Grand Prix through to 1996. Phillip Island returned to the calendar once again in 1997 and has remained the permanent home ever since.

The 4.4km circuit is the fastest of the year. Its long, sweeping corners generate lots of heat in the tyres and put a lot of strain on the rubber. But the unpredictable nature of the weather at the circuit also means it can be extremely cold, meaning the tyres need to be able to generate lots of heat too. Bridgestone have brought the Hard, Medium and Soft rears and the Extra-soft, Asymmetric and Soft fronts – the Hard rear is asymmetric. The asymmetric front is a new construction for this race to provide better grip following last year's high-attrition rate of those running the tyre.

The focus of the weekend will be on Yamaha. Valentino Rossi comes into this weekend having taken an eighteen-point lead in the standings in Japan. Phillip Island is a track the Italian loves, winning here eight times in his career, and will be looking to extend his lead further. The cooler tracks temperatures likely to be seen this weekend should favour him over his team-mate. Jorge Lorenzo needs a good race to try and claw back some points, and it will be interesting to see what psychological effect Japan had on the Spaniard. Lorenzo's usual race tactic backfired on him, and his team-mate showed he'd made huge gains on him in the dry. The nature of the track will play into the Yamaha's strengths, so this points towards another 1-2 weekend.

Honda also go well at Phillip Island, something their two wins in the last four races doesn't truly represent (Marquez was black-flagged in 2013 whilst leading and crashed in 2014 whilst leading). The fast changes of direction will hurt the Spaniard as he still recovers from his fractured hand, but the strain shouldn't be as bad as that of Motegi. Dani Pedrosa is in fine form at the moment and is jubilant after his Japanese success. Phillip Island tends to very windy, but that shouldn't be as big a problem for Pedrosa – the RC213V is very fast, and he is very light, nullifying any real disadvantage. I think Pedrosa is a good shout for the win this weekend.

Ducati improved the braking stability of the GP15 in Japan, and this allowed Andrea Dovizioso to find some form again. Though his pace dropped away a lot in the race, he was only just off of the front row in qualifying. Phillip Island is a lot less demanding on the brakes, and the grunt of the Desmosedici should see them go well. Iannone may struggle with the changes of direction but no more than in Aragon and Japan.

The track should suit the GSX-RR's chassis, but what will hinder them is the wind. Their lack of horsepower, despite several engine updates, will really let them down on the Gardner Straight if they encounter a headwind. Despite this they should be in for another decent weekend.

Aprilia are in the same boat, but their concern will be weight. The RS-GP is the heaviest bike out there, and the fast direction changes will hinder them somewhat. Points are still on offer for them though.

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