KUCIAR666
Registered User
Circuit: Phillip Island
Country: Australia
Track length: 4448 m
Opened: 1956
Fastest Lap Ever: 1' 30.068 (Valentino Rossi, 2003)
MotoGP lap record: 1' 31.102 (Loris Capirossi, 2004)
Last year MotoGP winner: Valentino Rossi
Circuit tel: +61 3 59522710
Circuit web site: http://www.phillipislandcircuit.com.au
TRACK FACTS - PHILLIP ISLAND
A truly great grand prix motor cycle racing circuit in a superb
location. They had been racing on the roads of the holiday Island,
Phillip Island for many years but it was only when it was modified to
it's present day 4.448 kms configuration in 1988 that it gained
international recognition.
The track and facilities were completely re-vamped for grand prix motor
cycle racing and the result was a circuit that is the favourite for
the majority of the MotoGP stars. The track simply flows through a
series of undulating bends finishing in a long downhill start and
finish straight.
The circuit staged the first Australian Grand Prix in 1989 and to the
delight of the whole nation was won by Australian Wayne Gardner riding
the Honda. Gardner won the next year but then the Australian Grand Prix
venue was switched to Eastern Creek near Sydney. It returned to it's
original home in 1997 and has remained ever since.
Alex Criville won the first 500cc race back at the circuit which has
become the domain of Valentino Rossi. After winning the 250cc race in
1998 and 1999, the Italian has won the MotoGP race for the last four
years, twice clinching the world title at the circuit. Max Biaggi won
riding the Yamaha in 2000.
Phillip Island, which is not really an Island and linked to the
mainland by a bridge, is situated 100 kms south of Melbourne. The view
from the start and finish straight over the choppy sea of the Bass
Straight is almost as famous as the Penguin parade that has made the
Island such a tourist attraction.
The only drawback can be the weather. Often the rain and high winds can
batter the Island in October but it's a small price to pay for such a
magnificent race track
TECHNICAL INSIGHT
The average lap speed is 177.785 km/h, making it the second fastest
track of the World Championship calendar behind Assen. This high speed
would seem strange at a circuit with very few straights, however,
although the main straight is relatively short at less than 900 metres
long, the corner leading onto it and the corner at the end of it are
both extremely fast corners taken at more than 180 km/h .
The ideal settings would give the bike stability to be able to take the
fast corners with as much precision as possible and use the maximum
amount of track surface. There are six corners taken at over 180 Km/h
and three of these are negotiated at more than 200 Km/h.
Given the presence of these high speed corners, and the constant
changes of direction at high speed, technicians tend to fit hard
springs so that when the rear of the bike is under compression the
riding precision is not affected and the rider can maintain the racing
line through corners. However, the presence of many bumps on the track
surface means that the springs to be fitted cannot be as hard as we
would like. To demonstrate the pressure on the springs, the point of
greatest compression of the rear of the bike takes place between
corners seven and eight where the bike is travelling at more than
230Km/h. This speed creates a force of more than 500kg on the rear
springs.
Regarding the front suspension, the points in the circuit where there
is most movement of the front shocks are the two hairpins taken at slow
speeds. The rider must brake hard at these two points, but this is not
a circuit where hard front springs are fitted because of hard braking.
Due to the bumpy track surface in the fast corners, softer springs are
fitted in the front to maintain the precision and the grip, even
through these bumpy areas. Some of these bumps are so big that the
bikes literally take off as they lose contact with the track in both
the front and rear. The best place to witness this is at the end of the
straight where the bikes leave the ground at more than 305 km/h.
In Phillip Island the gear ratios are a little special since the higher
gears are used more frequently than is usual. Most of the corners are
taken in third, fourth and even fifth gear. These gears must be set so
that there is not too large a step between them and also so that sixth
can accommodate speeds of nearly 350 km/h. It is not always easy to
find a good compromise. Unlike most other tracks in the MotoGP
calendar, there are only two corners taken in first and two taken in
second.
Another special factor at Phillip Island is rear-tyre wear. As well as
being a very abrasive track, the characteristics of the layout of the
track put an excessive amount of stress on the rear tyre. The left side
of the tyres is critical since the left-handed corner onto the straight
is very fast and the rider can open the throttle early, and in doing so
heating the left side of the tyre to temperatures that can affect the
tyre's durability. Sometimes we must sacrifice the rear suspension
settings and make them softer to prolong the life of the rear tyre so
that it lasts the race distance of 120 km.
Another important aspect at this circuit is the front brake. There are
no hard braking areas around the track so brake discs with smaller
diameters are fitted so that they reach the correct working
temperatures more easily. At Phillip Island discs of 305mm diameter are
fitted compared to a normal diameter of 320mm.
Country: Australia
Track length: 4448 m
Opened: 1956
Fastest Lap Ever: 1' 30.068 (Valentino Rossi, 2003)
MotoGP lap record: 1' 31.102 (Loris Capirossi, 2004)
Last year MotoGP winner: Valentino Rossi
Circuit tel: +61 3 59522710
Circuit web site: http://www.phillipislandcircuit.com.au
TRACK FACTS - PHILLIP ISLAND
A truly great grand prix motor cycle racing circuit in a superb
location. They had been racing on the roads of the holiday Island,
Phillip Island for many years but it was only when it was modified to
it's present day 4.448 kms configuration in 1988 that it gained
international recognition.
The track and facilities were completely re-vamped for grand prix motor
cycle racing and the result was a circuit that is the favourite for
the majority of the MotoGP stars. The track simply flows through a
series of undulating bends finishing in a long downhill start and
finish straight.
The circuit staged the first Australian Grand Prix in 1989 and to the
delight of the whole nation was won by Australian Wayne Gardner riding
the Honda. Gardner won the next year but then the Australian Grand Prix
venue was switched to Eastern Creek near Sydney. It returned to it's
original home in 1997 and has remained ever since.
Alex Criville won the first 500cc race back at the circuit which has
become the domain of Valentino Rossi. After winning the 250cc race in
1998 and 1999, the Italian has won the MotoGP race for the last four
years, twice clinching the world title at the circuit. Max Biaggi won
riding the Yamaha in 2000.
Phillip Island, which is not really an Island and linked to the
mainland by a bridge, is situated 100 kms south of Melbourne. The view
from the start and finish straight over the choppy sea of the Bass
Straight is almost as famous as the Penguin parade that has made the
Island such a tourist attraction.
The only drawback can be the weather. Often the rain and high winds can
batter the Island in October but it's a small price to pay for such a
magnificent race track
TECHNICAL INSIGHT
The average lap speed is 177.785 km/h, making it the second fastest
track of the World Championship calendar behind Assen. This high speed
would seem strange at a circuit with very few straights, however,
although the main straight is relatively short at less than 900 metres
long, the corner leading onto it and the corner at the end of it are
both extremely fast corners taken at more than 180 km/h .
The ideal settings would give the bike stability to be able to take the
fast corners with as much precision as possible and use the maximum
amount of track surface. There are six corners taken at over 180 Km/h
and three of these are negotiated at more than 200 Km/h.
Given the presence of these high speed corners, and the constant
changes of direction at high speed, technicians tend to fit hard
springs so that when the rear of the bike is under compression the
riding precision is not affected and the rider can maintain the racing
line through corners. However, the presence of many bumps on the track
surface means that the springs to be fitted cannot be as hard as we
would like. To demonstrate the pressure on the springs, the point of
greatest compression of the rear of the bike takes place between
corners seven and eight where the bike is travelling at more than
230Km/h. This speed creates a force of more than 500kg on the rear
springs.
Regarding the front suspension, the points in the circuit where there
is most movement of the front shocks are the two hairpins taken at slow
speeds. The rider must brake hard at these two points, but this is not
a circuit where hard front springs are fitted because of hard braking.
Due to the bumpy track surface in the fast corners, softer springs are
fitted in the front to maintain the precision and the grip, even
through these bumpy areas. Some of these bumps are so big that the
bikes literally take off as they lose contact with the track in both
the front and rear. The best place to witness this is at the end of the
straight where the bikes leave the ground at more than 305 km/h.
In Phillip Island the gear ratios are a little special since the higher
gears are used more frequently than is usual. Most of the corners are
taken in third, fourth and even fifth gear. These gears must be set so
that there is not too large a step between them and also so that sixth
can accommodate speeds of nearly 350 km/h. It is not always easy to
find a good compromise. Unlike most other tracks in the MotoGP
calendar, there are only two corners taken in first and two taken in
second.
Another special factor at Phillip Island is rear-tyre wear. As well as
being a very abrasive track, the characteristics of the layout of the
track put an excessive amount of stress on the rear tyre. The left side
of the tyres is critical since the left-handed corner onto the straight
is very fast and the rider can open the throttle early, and in doing so
heating the left side of the tyre to temperatures that can affect the
tyre's durability. Sometimes we must sacrifice the rear suspension
settings and make them softer to prolong the life of the rear tyre so
that it lasts the race distance of 120 km.
Another important aspect at this circuit is the front brake. There are
no hard braking areas around the track so brake discs with smaller
diameters are fitted so that they reach the correct working
temperatures more easily. At Phillip Island discs of 305mm diameter are
fitted compared to a normal diameter of 320mm.
