WorldSBK race winner and former Grand Prix racer Anthony Gobert is in the ‘final stages of life’, it has been confirmed.

The Australian - nicknamed ‘The Go Show’ - is undergoing palliative care in hospital after suffering with the effects of a short illness, according to a short statement posted to an associated Facebook page.

“It is with sadness that we have to announce that Anthony is currently hospitalised in palliative care and is in the final stages of his life following a short illness,” the post reads.

“Please be aware that we will provide any available updates in due course.”

No further details concerning illness were given, with no specific mention of there being any relation to Gobert’s well documented life-long struggle with substance misuse and addiction.

Indeed, Gobert is widely regarded as one of motorcycle racing’s most prodigious, yet unfulfilled talents, as demonstrated during his short yet remarkably successful career on the international stage.

After winning the domestic Australian Superbike Championship, Gobert made his WorldSBK debut at Sugo in 1994. However, it was his run to victory on home soil at the Phillip Island WorldSBK season finale that assured his reputation as a star for the future and earned him a deal with Kawasaki for the following season.

Going on to win five races over the next two seasons, Gobert was duly snapped up by Suzuki to compete in the 500GP World Championship but was sacked before the end of the season when he failed a drugs test.

Indeed, Gobert’s personal struggle with drugs would go on to blight him during the remainder of a intermittent racing career that reduced him to sporadic appearances in WorldSBK, BSB, AMA and WorldSSP over the next decade.

It was a trend that continued to dog Gobert off-track in recent years, struggles also referenced in the statement posted to his associated Facebook page with a public request that ‘during this difficult time, the videos of Anthony being distributed during what has been an extremely troubled period of his life are deeply concerning, however, on behalf of Anthony, we must thank his many supporters from throughout his racing career’.