- The current contract for the MotoGP race at Phillip Island expires at the end of 2026.
- The Victorian government has officially rejected the request to move the race to Albert Park.
- Additional funding will be provided, but only on the condition that the race remains at Phillip Island.
The future of the Australian MotoGP race has been preoccupying the motorsport world for months. With just a few days to go before the start of the 2026 season in Buriram at the end of February, the Victorian state government has now taken decisive action. The Allan government, led by Premier Jacinta Allan, rejected an official request from MotoGP Sports Entertainment SL, formerly Dorna Sports, to move the race from its traditional venue at Phillip Island to Albert Park in central Melbourne, famous for hosting Formula 1 races.
Phillip Island and MotoGP: a connection spanning almost 30 years
The Grand Prix Circuit on Phillip Island has been home to the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix since the 1990s. The race has been held a total of 29 times on the 4.448-kilometer track in the far southeast of Australia. The course is considered a challenging high-speed track in a picturesque setting and enjoys an excellent reputation among riders and fans alike. The event is also the largest international sporting event in regional Australia. According to Victoria’s Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Steve Dimopoulos, 91,000 spectators attended the race weekend last year.
However, behind the scenes, a conflict has been simmering for some time over the future of the venue. The contract between Australian promoter AGPC and MotoGP rights holders expires at the end of 2026. Reports had already emerged at the end of 2025 that the promoters were seeking to move the Grand Prix to a more financially lucrative race track.
Infrastructure problems as the main reason for the relocation plans
The reasons for considering turning their backs on Phillip Island lie primarily in the outdated infrastructure of the facility. The limited space around the track offers little room for the paddock, and the pits are considered far too small for an international racing series of this magnitude. There is a lack of large grandstands, modern VIP areas, and sufficient hotels in the surrounding area. The team parking spaces are located on a green area, which regularly causes problems in bad weather. In addition, even in favorable traffic conditions, the track can hardly be reached from Melbourne Airport in less than two hours.
For the new MotoGP owners around Liberty Media, this environment is apparently hardly suitable for attracting wealthy customers. The MotoGP promoters are said to have set their sights on the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne as a new priority. Although Albert Park is a street circuit, that does not have to be a deal-breaker.
A new construction west of Melbourne was also under discussion
In addition to Albert Park, there are apparently other considerations. To the west of Melbourne, a completely new racetrack is to be built, known as Avalon Motor Park, which could replace Phillip Island in the long term. However, as this facility is not expected to be operational until fall 2027, Albert Park came into play as a short-term alternative.
Clear rejection from the state government
The response from the Victorian government was unequivocal. In an official statement, MotoGP Sports Entertainment SL’s request was rejected. The government stated: “The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix is symbolic of Phillip Island, and Victoria is proud to support it. MotoGP attracts tens of thousands of visitors to Phillip Island every year. This is positive for tourism, local businesses, and employment.“
Minister Steve Dimopoulos clearly reiterated the government’s position. ”We are not selling Phillip Island,” he said, adding that negotiations were not yet complete. However, the government had submitted its best possible offer.
The state of Victoria supports the event on Phillip Island with around 20 million Australian dollars (approximately 11.9 million euros / 14.1 million US dollars) annually. Now, the government has also signaled its willingness to provide additional funding. However, this is to be tied to a clear condition: the race must remain on Phillip Island. The exact amount of the additional funding has not been made public.
The official statement reads: “Victoria has agreed to provide additional funding to help Dorna Sports organize a bigger and better event after 2026, but on the condition that it continues to be held at Phillip Island. Phillip Island is the home of MotoGP. The track has hosted the event 29 times. It is an iconic circuit with a great history.”
Petition and local resistance to the relocation
Even before the government’s decision, massive resistance had formed among the population. On the island and in the Bass Coast region, residents and the Bass Coast Shire Council launched a campaign to preserve the Grand Prix. Posters read, among other things: “Save our MotoGP event! Don’t let them take away this historic motorcycle race on Phillip Island, which has been running for over 35 years. MotoGP means jobs and money for our community.”
A petition with more than 4,000 signatures was submitted to the government last year. Bass Coast Mayor Rochelle Halstead was pleased with the development, even though she said she had received few details about the exact financial support. “There was great concern that this might not happen, which is why we launched a campaign. People came and showed their love for the race,” she explained. At the same time, she expressed her hope that a new agreement would also include investment in the track infrastructure to bring the facility up to international standards.
Scheduling issues as an additional challenge
In addition to the infrastructure issue, the date of the event also plays a role in the debate about the future of the Australian Grand Prix. While the weather is usually good at the end of February, during the Australian late summer, when the Superbike World Championship takes place, the weather at the end of October, during the Australian spring, when the MotoGP takes place, is often changeable to poor. The promoters had been campaigning for years to move the MotoGP race to the beginning of the calendar. However, this would have called into question the traditional season opener of the Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island. In addition, a MotoGP date at the end of February or beginning of March would have been too close to the Formula 1 Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne.
The Bend Motorsport Park as another alternative
Regardless of the debate surrounding Albert Park, The Bend Motorsport Park near Adelaide offers another alternative for the Australian Grand Prix. The facility offers a total of eight different track layouts. The so-called International Circuit has a length of 4.95 kilometers, which is suitable for MotoGP, and a height difference of 85 meters.
Crucially, it already has the Grade A homologation from the FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) required for a MotoGP race. However, this track also has a disadvantage in that there is hardly any accommodation available in the immediate vicinity.
Future of the Australian Grand Prix not yet secured
It remains to be seen how MotoGP promoters led by Carmelo Ezpeleta will react to the government’s decision. The rejection of Albert Park and the offer of additional funding for Phillip Island are an important step, but they do not automatically mean that the event is secured in the long term. Despite infrastructure improvements, MotoGP could decide against staying at Phillip Island and remove the Australian Grand Prix from the calendar in order to allocate the slot to another location in Asia or America. There is no shortage of interested parties for the rights holders. With 22 Grands Prix per season, the premier class of motorcycle racing is already operating at maximum capacity. In order to accommodate new venues, existing hosts would have to make way.
While negotiations about the future of MotoGP continue, the Superbike World Championship season opener will take place this weekend at the Phillip Island Circuit.
What does that mean for me as a MotoGP fan?
For fans of the Australian MotoGP race, the Victorian government’s decision is initially good news. Phillip Island, with its spectacular track layout right on the coast, remains in the running as a venue for the time being and will not be replaced by a street circuit in Melbourne in the short term. At the same time, uncertainty remains, as the current contract expires at the end of 2026 and an extension has not yet been signed. Should negotiations between the Victorian government and MotoGP promoters fail, the Australian Grand Prix could either move to a completely different location from 2027 or even disappear from the calendar altogether. Anyone who wants to experience the race at Phillip Island live once again should therefore perhaps take advantage of the 2026 season as an opportunity, as long as the future of the event is not contractually secured.
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