Vale Anthony Gobert, 1975-2024

Former 500cc and World Superbike star Anthony Gobert died overnight following a short stint in palliative care. He was 48.

Often touted as a rider with unmatched talent and potential, Gobert struggled with addiction for most of his adult life, an affliction which his mother and former race manager, Sue, attributed to his death in a touching tribute posted on social media.

“My heart is breaking as I write this as my first-born beautiful son Anthony has passed late this afternoon,” it read. “I loved him from the moment he was born [and will] until the day I die. At times he was challenging to say the least but he always had a kind heart and cared for everyone.  

“Sadly he was a victim of addiction which runs deeply in our families. He tried many times to get better but he couldn’t quite make it. I am so proud of him and thank all those good people who added to his life.”

Gobert began racing dirt track as young as 10 years old before switching to motocross one year later where his enormous talent began to show. In the following six short seasons, Gobert managed to amass 32 state titles, 17 Australian titles and a New Zealand title before making his road-racing debut at a Queensland round of the 1992 250cc Production Championship, where he finished a remarkable second.

Just like his rapid rise through the off-road ranks, his ascension to road-racing glory came just as fast, adding various 250cc titles to his name that same year before earning a factory Superbike ride with Honda for the 1993 Australian Road Racing Championship – the youngest ever to do so.

He repaid Honda with the title in 1994, picking up a wildcard entry in the Japanese round of the Superbike World Championship where his performance caught the eye of Kawasaki who signed the young Aussie for its 1995 WorldSBK campaign, but not before putting him on a ZX-7RR in the 1994 Australian round. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the teenager decimated the opposition, finishing Race 2 almost 15 seconds clear of four-time world champ Carl Fogarty.

Lucky Strike Suzuki team boss Garry Taylor secured the Aussie’s signature for the 1997 World 500cc Grand Prix season, which ended in a terminated contract after the Aussie failed a drug test.

A handful of stints in the AMA Superbike Championship in America followed, as did more success in the WorldSBK championship and offers for a second chance in the Grand Prix paddock, but his party-loving reputation plagued him throughout the latter stages of his career.

His final full world-championship season came with Bimota in 2000 with whom he scored his last victory in front of his adoring home fans at the Australian round of the WorldSBK Championship. And if there was any doubt that he’d lost any of his much-revered talent, he went out and won the opening bout by 29 seconds.

bikesales extends its condolences to all of Anthony’s family and friends.

Image credit: Getty Images (Robert Cianflone/Allsport) – Anthony Gobert prepares for the Australian round of the 500cc World Motorcycle Championship at Phillip Island, in 1999.