Manufacturers At The Island
How Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit has treated the different manufacturers through the WorldSBK years
Aprilia is on equal footing with Kawasaki in terms of Phillip Island performance, with both having won on six occasions and managing at least one victory a year since 2012. They achieved first and second in the two races in 2013, with Sylvain Guintoli and Eugene Laverty playing swap for the honour of victory. Since 2011 there has been at least one Aprilia rider on the podium in Phillip Island in every race, and when it wasn’t a win it was a second place. The first Aprilia victory at the Island dates back to 2000, when Troy Corser did the honours.
BMW have achieved 3 podiums at the track between 2011 and 2013, one every year. Last year Sylvain Barrier scored further Phillip Island points for the German marque with a 15th and a 12th.
Phillip Island has seen Honda wins on four occasions, the most recent of which being 2007 with James Toseland onboard. The last podium for the Japanese manufacturer came in 2009 with the third place of Leon Haslam in Race 2, but Michael Van Der Mark lead the way in Race 1 in 2015 before eventually coming home fifth in an incredible battle, a position to be mirrored in Race 2 by then teammate Sylvain Guintoli.
Kawasaki, like Aprilia, have won six times at Phillip Island, with five of those coming in the 1990s with local heroes Robert Phillis and Anthony Gobert. Eventual Champion Rea topped up their impressive tally last year with another victory, the first of the new millenium.
MV Agusta scored their first top ten finish in Phillip Island last year, with British rider Leon Camier coming home tenth in Race 1 before impressing further with an eighth in Race 2.
Yamaha have won five times on the Australian track, with four of those wins coming in the 1990s. The most recent Yamaha win was courtesy of American superstar Ben Spies in 2009, who won Race 2 after starting from pole position. The most recent podium for the recently-returned Japanese marque was in 2011, when Marco Melandri came third in Race 2.
Ducati are the most successful manufacturer of all time at Phillip Island, with 22 wins between 1991 and 2012. Last year, Chaz Davies got their most recent podium finishes by finishing 3rd in both races on a Panigale R that would go on to challenge for the title by the end of the year. Then not a race winner, the Ducati that Davies has to do battle on once again this year is now primed and proven, ready to try and add another win to their incredible Island tally.
