Raul Fernandez approaches this race weekend with a mixture of nostalgia and boundless ambition. A memorable winner on the Phillip Island coastal circuit last season, thanks to Marco Bezzecchi's double Long Lap penalty, the Spanish rider is preparing to bid farewell to this iconic event on the world calendar. With the Oceania round moving to the Adelaide street circuit next season, the Madrid native and his Trackhouse team intend to honor this final edition with a top-class performance.
The emotion of saying goodbye to Phillip Island and the memory of the victory for Raul Fernandez
For the Madrid-born rider, the disappearance of this legendary track from the calendar leaves a huge void for everyone in the paddock. “ I’ll probably cry a little for the last one at Phillip Island . Not just because I won my first MotoGP race here, but also because I always really enjoy coming to Phillip Island – it’s truly fantastic. There have been so many great races here in the past, not just in MotoGP , but also in Moto2 and Moto3, so it’s a circuit that everyone will miss,” the Spaniard confided emotionally. He still vividly remembers his 2025 triumph: “The last corner! I remember the last corner, the whole team… and I was thinking: we did it! ”
Ambitions heightened by experience and the current pace
Buoyed by the progress made on his prototype and his recent heroic second-place finish at Mandalika despite his hand injuries, the defending champion is aiming even higher this weekend. “Absolutely. I expect a much better weekend than last year . Last year at Phillip Island, it was just the race after the injury, and for my first season in MotoGP, racing at Phillip Island wasn't easy. I think the experience I've gained on a MotoGP bike will help me a lot this season. I hope to do much better this year , ” warns the Spaniard, determined to exploit the inherent qualities of his machine on the fast corners of the Australian circuit.
Davide Brivio's optimism for the Trackhouse structure
In the American team camp, enthusiasm is just as high after the string of podium finishes achieved in Indonesia by the rider duo. Team manager Davide Brivio approaches this event with great confidence: “We arrive here after an excellent weekend in Indonesia, with Raul and Ai on the podium in both the sprint and main races . We simply hope that the injury Raul sustained in Indonesia won't hinder him too much and that he'll be able to fight for the win, which he thoroughly deserves. Meanwhile, Ai achieved a great result in Indonesia despite some incidents and difficulties, so we'll try to work as we did last week. I think this could be another good weekend for the SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team, so we're going there full of hope and will try to achieve the best possible result for ourselves .”
Do you think Raul Fernandez can achieve a double victory and win the final MotoGP race at Phillip Island? Let us know in the comments!
Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport
