MotoGP: Top 5 Australian riders of all-time 

#4 Gregg Hansford

Gregg Hansford at the 1978 German motorcycle Grand Prix

Gregory 'Gregg' Hansford was a popular Australian rider in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He spent the bulk of his motorbike racing career with Team Kawasaki.

In 1978, he finished second in the 250 cc Motorbike World Championship. In the same year, he also finished third in the 350 cc World Championship. In 1979, he exactly matched his performance of 1978 finishing second and third in the 250 cc and 350 cc classes respectively.

Post his motorbike racing career, Hansford switched over to touring car racing competitions and won many laurels there too. Till date, he is the 4th most successful Australian motorbike rider in terms of race victories with 10 Grand Prix victories.

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#3 Wayne Gardner

Wayne Gardner with his son Remy who is a Moto2 rider

Motorbike racing legend Wayne Gardner made history by becoming the first MotoGP World Champion from Australia when he won the Riders' Championship in the year 1987 in the 500 cc class.

Nicknamed, 'Wollongong Whiz', The victory of Wayne Gardner in 1987 with Team Honda proved to be a watershed moment in the history of Australian motorbike racing. It piqued public interest, increased media coverage and above all lead to the first ever MotoGP race to be held in the iconic Phillip Island Circuit in the year 1989.

In what was a fairytale performance, the lad from New South Wales, Gardner made his nation proud by winning the race at Phillip Island that year.

In 100 race starts, Gardner won 18 races and stood on top of the podium an impressive 51 times. Post his motorbike racing career, he also enjoyed a successful stint as a touring car racer. The main straight at the iconic Phillip Island Circuit is aptly named, 'Gardner Circuit' cementing the legacy of this great son of Australia.