Race Direction has issued the following statement, reꦜgarding the unique race format for Sunday's Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island.

As rumoured, all ꦐriders will be forced to make a pit stop to change bikes, due to problems with tyres overheating on the resurfaced circuit.

In other words the race will roughly follow the 'flag-to-flag' format, normally used for wet/dry races💝, but on this occasion riders can change from slicks to slicks and must nꦏot do more than 14 laps on one set of tyres.

T🌃he full statement from Race Direction is✅ as follows:

"W🦩e have been notified by Bridgestone that they are unable to guarantee safety of their rear slick tyres bey🐬ond 14 laps. It has therefore been decided to make the following changes to the MotoGP class race in the interests of the safety of the riders.

"1. The race distance will be 26 laps.

"2. Every💜 rider will be required to enter the pits and change to his second machine with fresh tyres at least once during the race.

"3. No rider is permitted to make mor🥂e than 14 laps on any one slick rear tyre. This means that a bike/tyre change before lap 12 will require a second bike/tyre change to finish the race.

"4. Riders using "Factory" and "Satelꦡlite" machines will be required to use the "hard" option tyre (B51DR). Extra quantity will be allocated by Bridgestone.

"5. Riders 🥃using CRT machines will be required to use CRT "hard" option tyre (B50DR). Extra quantity will be allocated by🐼 Bridgestone.

"6. The pit lane speed limit zone will be extended both on entry and exit, and the e🅰xit route to rejoin the track will be marked by a white line in the runoff area. Crossing this line whilst rejoining the track from pit lane will result in a penalty."

Bridgestone's Shinji Aoki said: "We anticipated tyre temperatures would be higher this year at Phillip Island, but𒆙 not to the extreme levels we have seen this weekend. After analysing the used tyres after today's sessions, we have decided that the maximum safe distance that our rear slick tyres can be run is 14 laps. Following discussions between Bridgestone, Dorna and t🅺he FIM on how to best manage rider safety for the race, it was race direction's decision to make tomorrow's race a flag-to-flag contest."

Second on the grid Marc Marquez could be crowned world champion on Sunday, if he builds his title lead from 43 to 51 points. Nearest rival Jorge Lo🌊renzo starts on pole with Dani Pedrosa, the final rider still in mathematicalᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ contention, in fifth.

Phillip Island hosted the very first 'flag-to-flag' MotoGP race to feature🎉 bike-swaps in𒆙 2006.