ASBK Round 6: Steve Martin Ultimate Track Guide

The 1999 Australian Superbike Champion and expert series commentator takes us on a hot lap of the internationally-acclaimed Phillip Island circuit.

Phillip Island is one of those circuits you can’t design. It really is a dream come true for motorsport fans and especially motorcyclists. It’s a race track that really offers a little bit of everything.

With bike setup, it’s always a tricky one – you need a bike with a decent amount of front support for the heavy braking into Turn 4 and MG, but you also need it soft enough to turn and absorb the bumps through the faster corners.

The other focus will be keeping the rear tyre cool, so that it lasts the distance – rear tyre temperature is always an issue at Phillip Island.

Main Straight and Turn 1

You would think you would get a rest down the straight, but the first thing that takes your eye is the view as you head over the crest, of the ocean up ahead – it mesmerises you. As you tip into Turn 1, one of the fastest-entry corners in Australian motorsport, it is banked so you have to carry more speed than you think – over 200km/h.

There are plenty of overtaking opportunities there, and also plenty of action to be seen.

Turn 2 (Southern Loop)

Southern Loop is a long, left-hand double-apex corner, and it’s one of my favourites because it’s quite technical. You have to dive in early, hit the apex, drift a bit wide in the middle of the corner while still keeping the mid-corner speed up, and then get the rear wheel sliding to help it drive onto the back straight.

Turn 3

Turn 3 is a magical corner if you get it right, with the rear wheel drifting all the way through, to help the front steer.

Turn 4 (Honda Hairpin)

Turn 4 is one of the slowest corners on the circuit, and you have to bring yourself back to reality with mid-corner speed. The braking zone is definitely a big opportunity to pass.

Turns 5-6 (Siberia)

It’s a short squirt from Turn 4 up to Siberia, but there are two or three different entries and overtaking is a possibility. The main aim is to get the drive out, and not spin the tyre so much. You can lose a lot of time by spinning the rear wheel.

Turns 7-8 (Hayshed)

The Hayshed is a corner where you really have to commit 100 per cent – you’re on the limit from edge to apex.

Turn 8 (Lukey Heights)

For Lukey Heights, you have to pull the front brake lever on as you enter, and lean all the way over, holding on until your knee hits the ground, but have the feel to not lose the front end into there. It’s blind over the top, so track knowledge can play a big part.

Turn 10 (MG)

MG is one of the final staging corners of the lap, and into MG on the final lap of races, you’ll see that people jostle for position. If you get out in the lead, you’re not out of the woods because you still have to make it through the final two corners.

Turns 11-12

Turns 11 and 12 are so fast, and as we’ve seen in the past, even if you lead out of Turn 12 on the last lap, it doesn’t mean you’re going to win the race because there’s enough track left to slipstream and overtake. These last corners are where you’ll see riders try different things to work out what they’re going to do on the last lap.