Image: Russell Colvin.

Motorcycle road racing is ‘likely to return’ to Western Australia’s Barbagallo Raceway in 2018 as the circuit looks to reintroduce basic rider training at the venue this year.

The WA Sporting Car Club has released a statement detailing its strategy to get bikes back on track, following a safety audit in 2016 that identified unacceptable areas of risk for motorcycle racing.

A recent meeting that included the minister for sport and recreation, DSR, City of Wanneroo, Motorcycling WA, Motorcycling Australia and various other representatives has outlined a multi-step plan to have two-wheel activities return to Wanneroo’s road racing facility.

Phase one will see managed solutions, including temporary chicanes to control speed in critical areas, so that LAMS, road safety and basic motorcycle craft can be taught in a controlled environment.

The second phase will see more rigorous solutions to identify where the use of strategically-placed air-fences could be deployed, so that advanced rider training and restricted free practice may occur once again.

Finally, the third phase is to identify works including track and barrier realignment – especially in the critical area of turn three – in a bid to have unrestricted practice and racing activity at Western Australia’s primary circuit in the future.

According to the statement, “the next phase of this process is for WASCC to lead in the engagement of a consultant to take the current concepts through to detailed designs so that both the managed and capital solutions identified can be implemented”.