Tag

Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit

Browsing

Our apologies for being a bit late to getting with the program, as we should have started HRC’s SBK Classic Corners webisodes much earlier than this. While we play a bit of catch-up with the World Superbike team’s short videos series that focuses on the famous corners of the WSBK calendar, we treat you to the first circuit up in our queue, which is also the first race of the season: Phillip Island.

It doesn’t matter what you call Turn 12 at famous Australian track (e.g. Swan Corner if you abide by the marketing), because whatever name you use, the corner is one of the most important turns on the circuit, as the long left-hand sweeper is your entry onto the Phillip Island’s massively long front straight that seemingly drops into the Bass Strait, until you cross the start/finish line.

I have been fortunate enough to ride a track day at Phillip Island, and I can say that the circuit is easily my favorite course to ride with a motorcycle as it has a bit of elevation, gorgeous surroundings, and a good mix of technical turns and flowing bends. One of the Top 3 fastest corners on the track, Turn 12 is certainly harrowing to enter full-tilt as your tires are fading. Of course, you don’t want to hear me talk about it, so we’ve got Johnny Rea and Hiroshi Aoyama after the jump.

Linfox Property Group, the company behind the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, released a announcement today, confirming that the Australian track would be repaved in time for the 2013 motorcycle season. Virtually the only thing riders talked about during Friday’s debriefings, the surface conditions at Phillip Island for the Australian GP have been incredibly bumpy. Affected the most on the exit of Turn 12 and entry into Turn 1, riders have also complained about bumpy patches going into the two hairpins at Turn 4 and Turn 10.

Most critical of the Australian track was local Casey Stoner, who true to form didn’t mince words about the conditions. “This year the track is terrible, to be honest,” said Stoner bluntly. “It’s always been a little bit bumpy going into Turn 1, and maybe one or two other small bumps. But this year, they are a lot more aggressive than in the past, and I’m not too happy with the condition of the track. I don’t know what they’ve been racing around here, but it’s made the track a lot worse.”