Go wild! Animal magic and fast corners at fabled Phillip Island

2018-10-25 07:42
The pre-event Press Conference gets us in gear at this unique track - with a few special guests beforehand!

Ahead of the Michelin Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, riders led by newly-crowned Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) sat down to face the media in the Pre-Event Press Conference…at least, after an encounter with some furry – or scaly – friends.

After steadfastly avoiding the snake in the animal meet and greet, Marquez spoke first and was joined by Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol), Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), home hero Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) and Ducati Team’s stand-in Alvaro Bautista – with talk ranging from the weather to 2019 and more.

After wrapping up title number seven in style, Marquez was, of course, happy ahead of the weekend. “I’m very happy! Of course you feel different now but I’ve not had a lot of time to celebrate – with the team yeah but then first thing on Monday I was in the HRC factory, to say hi to them. But after Malaysia I hope we have a bit more time to celebrate, and in Valencia.”

Traditionally, however, winning the title in Japan hasn’t been the best luck for the number 93. But will it be luckier with number seven? “I won in 2014 at Motegi, I got here and I thought I could do everything and I crashed. In 2016 I felt different but again I crashed in the race. So I need to control myself a bit, it’s a track that I love but…now we will start looking towards the 2019 season.”

Back to work already? There’s no time to rest on the flyaways. One thing that can get in the way a little in Australia is the weather, however – and Rossi will have an eye on that.

“I think Phillip Island is one of the best circuits of the season, for more or less everyone,” says the ‘Doctor’. “But the weather is important because here we can struggle a bit with it. I hope we can have good weather, especially for Sunday. Last year I was quite strong, we had both Yamahas on the podium so it looks like it’s a good track for us but every year is different so from tomorrow morning we have to work because here you need a good balance. It’s very fast, with very long corners. We’ll see if we can fight for the podium.”

It is a legendary circuit and, for the Italian, it’s unique. “For me Phillip Island is really different, it’s the only one like this. On other tracks you’re fast as an average speed but here you’re fast in the corners and there are a lot of high speed changes of direction. It’s mostly left but you still have to manage the right, and it’s all up and down…”

It is, with some of the most spectacular elevation changes on the calendar and some of the most incredible curves to boot. The man who tamed them best in 2016 was Crutchlow, and he’s on a roll as he arrives this season too, having taken P2 at Motegi.

“We have to take on board we had a great race last weekend in Japan, the team did a great job for me to finish second. I think the momentum is there and I’m riding quite well but I don’t know if we can repeat 2016. On paper right now there are ten guys who could probably win and there are only three spaces on the podium.”

The secret, says Crutchlow, is tactics – as borne out a few races of late.

“It’s a tactical track here, there are a few tricks of the trade you can do but I think it’s important to lead, then you have the chance to get away – if you look at Marc last year, he did that at the perfect time.”

Source: Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup

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