Positive reaction to Island Classic date change

By Thomas Miles

Date posted: 23 June 2025

Over 35 years, the annual Island Classic has grown to become one of the biggest historic race events, but a major change is coming in 2026.

Next year will be the first time the Victorian Historic Racing Register will stage the Island Classic away from the March long weekend at Phillip Island.

With the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix opening the 2026 season on March 6-8, VHRR has decided to move its meeting to avoid a clash.

As a result, this creates three weeks of motoring heaven with the Adelaide Motorsport Festival, F1 and Island Classic all on consecutive weekends.

Whilst the Island Classic has been traditionally always held on the long weekend, VHRR vice president Michael Herlihy said there has been a positive response to the historic change.

“We knew the Grand Prix was quite likely to be on the long weekend so we gave it quite a bit of thought,” he told Auto Action.

“It has been on the long weekend for 35 years so it is quite the break for us.

“As far as I am aware it has always been on the long weekend.

“Even during COVID we did not miss an event so it was a hard decision for us but it works very well from both an economic and event orgainsers point of view.

“We felt it was appropriate and suits us in many ways with less accommodation costs for our customers.

“In the current environment, we are trying to do everything we can to help the competitors.

“It also creates a motorsport extravaganza across three weekends with Adelaide, the Grand Prix and the Island Classic.

“On Facebook there seems to be a lot of very positive feedback, which is very satisfying.”

Image: Neil Hammond

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Positive reaction to Island Classic date change

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