Marco Bezzecchi
Pedro Acosta believes he has the solution for Phillip Island to remain on the MotoGP calendar and ease the safety concerns that have emerged about the circuit in recent years.
Confirmation from earlier in the year regarding Phillip Island’s exit from the MotoGP calendar was met with staunch criticism from purists as well as those within the Grand Prix paddock.
Is Phillip Island too dangerous for MotoGP?
Instead of revitalising the legendary Victoria-based circuit, MotoGP’s new owners, Liberty Media, have opted for a brand-new street circuit in downtown Adelaide, which promises to increase fan engagement and see attendance numbers skyrocket.
It has raised a multitude of further concerns about the direction that MotoGP is heading, with fans under the belief that the move is a “horrible decision” from officials. The designer of F1’s former Adelaide street circuit has even noted that the move is not a “good idea”.
Pedro Acosta says Phillip Island’s ‘main problem’ can be solved by racing there in February or March
On top of the financial gain that MotoGP is set to make from holding the race weekend in a more accessible area for fans, the weather conditions at Phillip Island during the time of year that the premier class also make it a difficult spectacle for fans to enjoy.
Is MotoGP selling its soul by leaving Phillip Island?
The last couple of years have seen the wind play a big part in the performance of riders, with Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia leading calls for officials to bring last year’s Grand Prix ahead a day in order to miss the 50km/h winds that were expected on Sunday.
To fix this, Pedro Acosta has a simple solution to keep Phillip Island on the calendar, as well as the smiles on the faces of spectators who attend the race.
In a recent appearance on the Gypsy Tales podcast, Acosta was asked for his thoughts on one of the sport’s most iconic circuits leaving the calendar, to which he replied, “Sad, to be honest. I mean, it’s the best track on the whole calendar.
“If you just ask the 22 guys on the grid, they will say this, or something close to this. Also, the fans, I mean, the Aussies are incredible. It doesn’t matter if it’s sunny, if it’s windy, or if it’s raining, they will stay there because of the magic of the island.
- READ MORE: FIM president hints at Phillip Island MotoGP return as he shares private chat with circuit officials
“It’s not the nicest thing, what I heard [about the Australian GP] this year, if I’m being honest. If we go to this track in February or March, that is summer at Phillip Island. We will love it, because our main problem on this track, in our position, is the weather; it is super cold.
“Sometimes you’ll crash on the out lap because you don’t have enough time to warm up the tyres. Then, it’s easy to have a stupid crash, let’s say. But if we go there in summer, we will see some amazing races, even more than now.”
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