Supercars will race at Phillip Island again from 2027 under a five-year deal with the Victorian government, announced on Friday 16 October, a week before the circuit stages its final MotoGP.
It will be the championship’s first time on the island since 2019, ABC News reported. According to the Sentinel-Times, the deal brings a finals series round of the Repco Supercars Championship to the circuit each year from 2027 to 2031.
Major Events Minister Anthony Carbines announced the deal on Friday alongside the Tickford Racing and Walkinshaw TWG Racing teams, the Sentinel-Times reported. “Supercars are coming back to Phillip Island, and so are the crowds and the customers for local businesses,” Carbines said.
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Losing MotoGP
Phillip Island has hosted MotoGP since 1989. It lost the event to South Australia after the Victorian government rejected a request to move it from Phillip Island to Melbourne’s Albert Park, ABC News reported.
The last MotoGP on the island is scheduled from Friday 23 October to Sunday 25 October, according to the Sentinel-Times. ABC News reported the island will also host the Australian round of the World Superbike Championship for the last time in 2027.
Local tourism body Destination Phillip Island says racing is worth $80 million to the local economy, according to ABC News. Its chief executive, Kim Storey, said one in four jobs on the island was connected to the visitor economy.
“Supercars represents meaningful progress towards rebuilding major event visitation,” Storey said.
A Finals Series Slot
Speedcafe reported the round will be promoted by the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, which also runs the Formula 1 event at Albert Park, and that the deal locks Phillip Island onto the calendar through at least 2031.
Supercars walked away from the venue after struggling to draw crowds to the remote circuit and facing high track hire costs, according to Speedcafe. The island is expected to take the Finals Series slot currently held by Sandown, between the Gold Coast and Adelaide street races.
The 2027 calendar is not settled. Speedcafe said it may run to 12 or 14 events because of a disagreement over proposed changes to the Teams Racing Charter, and the Sentinel-Times reported the full calendar is yet to be released.
“As we celebrate 30 years of Supercars in 2027, it feels incredibly fitting to return to Phillip Island, a circuit that formed part of our championship in 1997 and holds a special place in the history of our sport,” Supercars executive chairman and acting CEO Barclay Nettlefold said, according to Speedcafe.
Promises Before the Election
Phillip Island will host a Festival of Motoring in March 2027, which Labor and the Coalition both promise to back, ABC News reported. The opposition’s David Southwick said the Coalition would provide $100,000 for the festival if it wins November’s state election.
“They don’t care about Bass Coast, they don’t care about the island,” Southwick said.
The government pointed to $4.7 million for the Phillip Island Hot Springs and $5 million for the Penguin Parade, the Sentinel-Times reported.
The Gap Still to Fill
Destination Phillip Island chair Jeff Webb said, according to the Sentinel-Times: “While no single event can fully replace the significant economic contribution of MotoGP and World Superbikes, this announcement provides positive momentum.”
He also said: “Supercars is a first step in rebuilding Phillip Island’s major events calendar and restoring confidence for local businesses.”
The tourism body is seeking an indicative $20 million to $25 million over three years for a regional events strategy, the Sentinel-Times reported.
More coverage is in our Sports section.
Sources: ABC News, “Supercars to return to Phillip Island, plugging hole left by MotoGP exit”, 16 October 2026 (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-16/supercars-return-to-phillip-island-after-motogp-exit/106901836); Speedcafe, “Supercars locks in Phillip Island return on five-year deal”, 16 October 2026 (https://speedcafe.com/supercars-news-2027-calendar-phillip-island-australian-grand-prix-corporation-finals-series/); Sentinel-Times, “Supercars roar back to Phillip Island from 2027”, 16 October 2026 (https://www.sgst.com.au/supercars-roar-back-to-phillip-island-from-2027/)
