Anthony Gobert

Anthony Stephen Gobert was an Australian professional motorcycle road racer, nicknamed The Go Show. He was a rider of immense promise and talent who had his career derailed by a personal struggle with alcohol and drug abuse. Winning the final leg of the 1994 season at Phillip Island, he became the youngest ever World Superbike race winner at the age of 19 years old, a record that was broken by 18-year-old Yuichi Takeda at Sugo in 1996.

Superbikes/Supersport

In his teens, Gobert was a successful motocross racer, winning national classes in Australia, before moving to road racing and winning the Australian domestic superbike championship. He first earned international notice as a wild card at his home Superbike World Championship round at Phillip Island [Grand Prix Circuit|Phillip Island] in, taking pole position, a win and a third place. Racing full-time in the championship for Muzzy Kawasaki in, he became team leader after Scott Russell's abrupt departure and finished 4th overall, winning races at Laguna Seca and Phillip Island. He was 8th in, with 3 wins and 3 other podiums, after missing much of the season through injury.
For 1998 and 1999, Gobert competed in the AMA Superbike Championship on a Vance & Hines Ducati, including a win as a WSBK wildcard at Laguna Seca.
For, Gobert returned to WSBK on a Bimota SB8R. With the race number 501, he won a wet race at Phillip Island and generally did better than expected on the machine, before the team folded, due to lack of financial backing. Bimota named the SB8K Gobert bike after him. Three British Superbike meetings followed in late 2000.
For 2001, Gobert was back in the AMA championship with Yamaha, spending two years racing the YZF R7 in the superbike class and the YZF R6 in the supersport class respectively. This was followed by a brief dalliance with Ducati in 2003. After some time back in the Australian Superbike series he did two rounds of Supersport World Championship at the start of, replacing the injured David Checa. In, he raced at the Valencia Superbike World Championship round, alongside some rounds of Spain's Superbike series. For 2007, he returned to Australia Superbikes on a Kawasaki.

Grand Prix

Gobert went to the Grand Prix [motorcycle racing|500cc World Championship] in 1997 [Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1997] with the Lucky Strike Suzuki replacing Scott Russell as the number one rider, but was dismissed in mid-season after failing a drug test.
Gobert raced for MuZ Weber at the end of 1999 [Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1999 season]
A 500cc one-off at Donington Park for Kenny Roberts' KR3 Modenas Team followed in late 2000.

Personal life

According to a report in The Courier-Mail, the 33-year-old Gobert was charged with two counts of stealing after taking two $20 notes from the hand of a 70-year-old man at a Coles supermarket in Surfers Paradise on 13 May 2008 and stealing a woman's purse the following day. He was granted bail on condition that he surrender his passport, report to police five times a week and not enter central Surfers Paradise.
In June 2019, Gobert was reported to have been involved in an altercation at a restaurant. Afterwards, he was followed home by a number of individuals whom he had earlier fought with. They forced their way into Gobert's home, robbed him, and beat him with baseball bats. He was beaten beyond recognition. Hospital staff were only able to identify him after he had regained consciousness.

Death

In January 2024, news agencies reported that Gobert had been receiving end-of-life care on the Gold Coast, Queensland, for an undisclosed illness. He died on 17 January, at the age of 48.

Career results

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

Races by year

Year

Class

Bike

500cc

MAL
DNS

ITA
13

AUT
7

FRA
10

NED
13

IMO
10

GER
9

BRA
10

GBR
Ret

1997 [Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|CZE]
12

15th

500cc

AUS
Ret

1999 [South African motorcycle Grand Prix|RSA]
18

BRA
10

ARG
DNS

25th

500cc

GBR
15

29th

Supersport World Championship

Races by year

Year	Bike	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12		Pts
2006	Yamaha	QAT 12	AUS Ret	Valencia Superbike World Championship round\|SPA]	ITA	EUR	SMR	CZE	2006 [Brands Hatch Superbike World Championship round\|GBR]	NED	GER	ITA	FRA	35th	4