Phillip Island business community fights to keep the MotoGP on track

Rosa Scarlato wears her passion for Phillip Island's iconic MotoGP race with pride.

So much so, that when the annual event comes to town, she says it becomes more important to her than her own family.

"The track brings a lot of business to the island. The MotoGP is so strong. I'm nearly 74, and whenever they come, I feel like a 20-year-old. My family doesn't exist, the bike is number one." 

Ms Scarlato, whose family has operated Pino's Trattoria in Cowes since 1991, is worried the event could be lost interstate or even overseas when its 10-year contract expires in 2026. 

"Without the track, the island doesn't survive," she said. 

The MotoGP has been held on Phillip Island since 1997 and is the island's biggest tourism event.

Last year, it attracted 91,000 spectators.

But the Victorian government has not secured an extension to its contract with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation to host the race on Phillip Island, leading a group of businesses and the local council to lobby the government to help secure the event's future.

"The racetrack has been fantastic over the years. But with the business, you need a bit of support from the government," Ms Scarlato said.

A fuel injection

The annual race injects an estimated $60 million into the local community each year. 

Bass Coast Shire Council mayor Rochelle Halstead said the council has been pushing the Victorian government to secure the contract for the iconic race to stay on the island. 

"Initially, racing started here in the 1920s. The community has poured its heart and soul into this, and it has a huge economic benefit," she said. 

"Like any contract that comes available, there are people on the fringes who'd love to snatch it from us. And not just neighbours interstate, this event could be stolen to an international city. 

"We want to get ahead of the game and ensure the government is doing everything it can to keep the event." 

In a statement a Victorian government spokesperson said the government was "proud to back" the event. 

"The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix is synonymous with Phillip Island — we are proud to back this much-loved, iconic event that showcases the best of the Bass Coast to a global audience," the spokesperson said. 

A spokesperson for the Australian Grand Prix Corporation said Phillip Island was an "iconic destination" and one of the most renowned circuits on the MotoGP calendar. 

The ABC understands conversations in relation to the MotoGP beyond 2026 are ongoing and are commercial in confidence.