Network 10 to broadcast Australian MotoGP round

Network 10 will once again broadcast this weekend’s Australian MotoGP round on free-to-air television.

Fox Sports has shown MotoGP exclusively so far this season, the first of the current, five-year deal with Foxtel.

However, the MotoGP race held in Australia is part of the anti-siphoning list which prevents certain sporting events of national significance from being snatched up by subscription television to the exclusion of free-to-air networks.

Network 10’s coverage kicks off on Saturday, running from 12:00-16:00 AEDT, and continues on Sunday from 10:30-15:30 AEDT, featuring all the qualifying sessions and all races across the three grand prix classes at Phillip Island.

Tara Rushton, formerly of Fox Sports’ MotoGP coverage, will host for 10 along with Scott Mackinnon, while three-time 500cc race winner Daryl Beattie reprises his role as pundit and Sam Charlwood as reporter.

This year’s Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix is the first since 2019, before the pandemic, when Jack Miller finished third for Pramac Racing.

Sunday’s race is set to be his only one on home soil for the factory Ducati Team before his move to KTM Factory Racing while, for compatriot Remy Gardner, it may well be his only MotoGP race in Australia given he is on the way to the Superbike World Championship in 2023.

Miller is not ruling himself out of title contention, notwithstanding that he admits it is still a “longshot”, after closing to 40 points behind championship leader Fabio Quartararo.

‘Jackass’ was the highest-scoring rider in the just-completed triple-header of Aragon, Motegi, and Buriram, with results of fifth, first, and second, respectively.

After a weekend off, practice at Phillip Island starts this Friday, with every session live on Fox Sports.