Phillip Island gets big safety upgrade

Keen-eyed viewers of the recent SpeedSeries at Phillip Island would have noticed some significant changes to the track in preparation for this year’s MotoGP event in October.

While the changes are at the behest of the FIM, the work has improved the safety of all competitors and spectators. 

The most obvious changes are at turns one and 12, but many other corners on the track have had a minor tweak. 

The work done to the outside of the Southern Loop looking towards Doohan Corner.

“Every year, we receive a report from the FIM requesting various changes to the circuit as needed to ensure we comply with safety from a variety of different levels,” the Australian Grand Prix Corporation’s General Manager of Design and Construction, Mathew Walton, explained.

“This year, there was a significant piece of work undertaken in March which went for six weeks, and it focused on a number of areas which included an extension to the gravel trap and asphalt in the runoff at turn one. 

“There was the addition of a variety of different verges around at turns one, two, three, six, eight, nine, 11, and 12, as well as an extension to the gravel trap at turn 12, which is probably the equal of the work at turn one.

“They (turns one and 12) were both major pieces of work. It’s not only an expansive gravel trap now down at turn 12, but we’ve also included 205 debris fences or 820 meters of fencing extending from turn 11 and around turn 12.”

“There was a need to improve the safety for riders, but there’s also recognition that the track needed to improve spectator safety. I think Phillip Island’s the only major track in the world that doesn’t have debris fencing. 

Th extended apron added to the outside of Turn 6.

“It’s an incredible track, it’s beautiful and it’s amazing to watch the bikes go around. But it was quite evident that there needed to be these key changes.”

Planning for the changes started last November following the report from the FIM, and the AGPC called for tenders soon after and the planning began with iEDM. 

“We had three suppliers effectively working together in their own spaces to deliver the scale of work,” he said.

“What’s been achieved is quite remarkable. I don’t know if you’ve seen it on the ground, but it’s fundamentally different from what you would be used to seeing.”

He said about 300 tonnes of gravel that complied with the FIM standards was used, and that 25,000 cubic meters of soil was removed when deepening the turns one and 12 gravel traps. Approximately 1.7 kilometres of verges were changed as well.

“We work very closely with the circuit to deliver the outcomes, and because we’re the headline act, it becomes a Grand Prix Corporation responsibility to deliver on the scope,” Walton said.

The new concrete barriers added in place of the old tyre barrier on the outside of the final corner.

“We have a good relationship with the PI working through those deliverables, and they support us by providing sufficient time as required to be able to do those things as needed.

“Because the circuit has cars on it as well, we have to work very closely with the circuit, the FIA and the FIM on the deliverables to ensure that we meet both those standards to the best level we can.

“It’s a tough one because there are obviously complexities between the FIA and the FIM, and we certainly had challenges with the deliverables associated with these modifications to support the FIA’s needs. 

“We’ve pretty much ticked all the boxes now and are just working through the finalities.” 

For more of the latest motorsport news, pick up the recent issue of AUTO ACTION.

If you can’t get a copy locally, you can also subscribe to the print or digital edition of the magazine here.

PODCAST: The latest episode of the Auto Action RevLimiter podcast is out now!

Andrew Clarke and Auto Action’s Bruce Williams and ARG’s Barry Rogers sat down for a candid chat ahead of the SpeedSeries trip to Winton.

AUTO ACTION, Australia’s independent voice of motorsport.