- Contract with Adelaide runs for six years until 2032
- The new track will be around 4.195 kilometers long and feature 18 turns
- Casey Stoner and Wayne Gardner criticize the end of an era at Phillip Island
After more than three decades at one of the world’s most popular racetracks, MotoGP is facing a radical change in Australia. On Thursday, MotoGP sporting director Carlos Ezpeleta and South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas officially confirmed the end of the Grand Prix at Phillip Island. From the 2027 season onwards, the Australian GP will be held on a specially designed street circuit in the center of Adelaide. It would be the first time in the history of the World Motorcycle Championship that a race has been held in a city center.
Contract until 2032 and premiere in November 2027
A six-year contract has been signed between MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group, as the former Dorna has been known since its takeover by Liberty Media, the South Australian government, and the city of Adelaide. The agreement runs until 2032. The premiere is scheduled for a three-day race weekend in November 2027. This means that the Australian Grand Prix will remain part of the overseas tour in the last quarter of the season as usual.
The track is to cover around 4.195 kilometers, comprise 18 turns, and run through downtown Adelaide. According to the organizers, speeds of over 340 km/h will be possible. The track layout is based on the former Adelaide Street Circuit, which hosted Formula 1 races between 1985 and 1995. However, there will be extensive modifications to meet the safety requirements of modern motorcycle racing. The course is to receive Grade A homologation in accordance with the specifications of the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM).
Why Phillip Island has to make way
The contract with the previous organizer at Phillip Island, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, expires at the end of 2026. The race on the natural track on the Pacific coast, about two hours south of Melbourne, has struggled with financial difficulties in recent years. In addition, the local infrastructure was said to no longer meet the modern standards that Liberty Media envisions for the future of MotoGP. Although the Victorian state government was reportedly willing to invest money in the modernization of Phillip Island, these commitments were said to have not been implemented for over ten years.
Originally, there had been considerations to move the race to the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, which also hosts Formula 1. Victoria’s Minister for Sport and Events, Steve Dimopoulos, explained that while they were prepared to make financial concessions, they refused to move the race away from Phillip Island.
“We know we could have kept [the race] in Victoria if we had given up Phillip Island. We were never prepared to give up Phillip Island,” said Dimopoulos.
Adelaide wants to position itself as an event location
When presenting the project, Premier Malinauskas made it clear that, from his government’s point of view, it was about much more than just a motorsport event. He said that South Australia was now competing with the rest of the country for the best events in the world and winning. Hosting the world’s first MotoGP race on a street circuit would give Adelaide a unique offering that would attract visitors from all over Australia and abroad. In addition, the aim is to promote economic activity, create jobs, and raise South Australia’s international profile.
The commercial background to the change fits in with Liberty Media’s strategy. City circuits in major metropolitan areas play a central role in the company’s portfolio, which also includes Formula 1. The proximity to hotels, restaurants, and urban infrastructure fits in with the business model of modern major events.
Safety debate: Drivers speak out
The announcement immediately sparked a discussion about safety. Unlike Formula 1, motorcycle riders do not sit in a protective safety cell, which is why generous run-off areas are particularly important on a city circuit.
Jack Miller, the only Australian representative in MotoGP as a Pramac rider, was present at the presentation in Adelaide and expressed his confidence. He explained that there would be no concrete walls or air fences within immediate reach.
“I have complete faith in Carlos [Ezpeleta] and his calculations,” said Miller.
Miller pointed out that every Friday evening at the Grand Prix, the riders sit down with the officials and discuss questions about track safety, from the depth of the gravel to the condition of the run-off areas to the size of the stones in the gravel bed. MotoGP has extensive data from G-force sensors and airbag leather suits to analyze accidents and derive safety standards. In his view, there are no safety concerns in the event of a normal crash.
Aleix Espargaró, who is under contract with Honda, also spoke out on the X platform. He emphasized that this would not be a Monaco-style street circuit. He said he was confident that MotoGP had checked Adelaide and that it could offer run-off areas that were just as safe or even safer than, for example, the last corner at Phillip Island.
Stoner and Gardner voice strong criticism
Casey Stoner’s reaction was much more critical. The two-time MotoGP world champion, who won six times at Phillip Island between 2007 and 2012, published a detailed statement on Instagram. He described Phillip Island as one of the greatest motorcycle tracks in the world, which has produced some of the best and most entertaining races year after year. Now it is being pushed aside in favor of a race in Adelaide and, allegedly, a street circuit.
“Why would MotoGP take possibly their best circuit off the calendar… I’ll let everyone decide,” wrote Stoner.
Wayne Gardner, 1987 500cc world champion and another Australian motorsport legend, also reacted with disappointment. In an interview with ABC Radio, he said the news did not surprise him. The issue had been simmering for years. The Victorian government had a reputation for winning things, then losing them, disappearing, and then reappearing. He was sad and disappointed, but not surprised by the behavior of the Victorian government and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation. When asked if he would collect the statue erected in his honor at the track, Gardner responded with clear words.
The Bend as a possible alternative
Another option was the permanent race track The Bend Motorsport Park, which opened in 2017 and is located about 100 kilometers southeast of Adelaide. The facility has a 4.95-kilometer international circuit layout and a 7.7-kilometer GT variant. National series such as the Australian Superbike Championship already race there. However, the track is located away from urban infrastructure, with hardly any accommodation or restaurants nearby. The entire GP entourage would have had to commute daily from Adelaide. The Bend would not have met the actual goal of the location change, namely to establish a race in an urban environment.
There are also indications that the Superbike World Championship could move to The Bend from 2028. Sam Shahin, the owner of the track, is said to have played a key role in the negotiations between the South Australian government and the commercial rights holders of MotoGP. The Bend could also serve as a fallback solution if the street circuit in Adelaide is not completed in time.
Miller: Phillip Island is too expensive and too difficult to reach for fans
In addition to the safety debate, Jack Miller also addressed the practical problems of Phillip Island. He spoke openly about the fact that traveling to the previous venue was a considerable undertaking for the average fan. The cost of flights to Melbourne, rental cars, transportation to the island, and accommodation quickly adds up to between 6,000 and 7,000 Australian dollars (approximately 3,550 to 4,140 euros / 3,720 to 4,340 US dollars). He knows this from his own experience, because his family does this every year. For young families, it is simply difficult to afford a visit to the motorcycle race. Miller explained that it is sometimes cheaper to fly to the Grand Prix in Malaysia because the track in Sepang is right next to the airport.
In Adelaide, on the other hand, you can come into the city, walk to the track, watch the race, and then fly back home. This makes access much easier. Miller is convinced that Australians, who generally love motorsports and live sports, will accept the offer in Adelaide.
Around 20 months of preparation time
A preparation phase lasting around 20 months will now begin before the planned premiere in November 2027. During this time, the local promoter will coordinate the construction work and the adaptation of the track layout to FIM specifications. The challenge of building a temporary street circuit suitable for MotoGP races is considered considerable. Surface quality, barrier systems, medical facilities, and paddock infrastructure must meet the highest standards.
Carlos Ezpeleta described the change as a significant step in the development of the world championship. Adelaide has a first-class tradition of hosting major sporting events. The opportunity to design a specially designed track in the streets of the city is absolutely unique in motorcycle racing. From the outset, the FIM has worked to ensure that safety is not compromised in any way. Every element of the Adelaide Street Circuit has been designed to meet the highest standards of modern MotoGP.
The 2026 season at Phillip Island will therefore mark the farewell to a track that has shaped motorcycle racing for almost three decades. Whether the new street circuit in Adelaide can adequately continue this legacy will become clear in November 2027 at the earliest.
What does this mean for me as a MotoGP fan?
The move from Phillip Island to Adelaide marks a turning point that goes far beyond a mere change of location. For decades, Phillip Island has been an integral part of the emotional identity of MotoGP. The fast, flowing corners right on the coast, the unpredictable wind, and the regularly spectacular overtaking maneuvers made the race one of the highlights of the season. This specific driving experience cannot be replicated on a city circuit, no matter how good the infrastructure is. At the same time, Adelaide could make it much easier for fans who have previously shied away from the logistical and financial expense of traveling to Phillip Island to access the live experience. Short distances, urban infrastructure, and a potential festival atmosphere are then offset by the loss of an iconic natural track. Whether the trade-off is worthwhile will only become clear when the first bikes actually race through the streets of Adelaide in November 2027. But one thing is already clear: MotoGP is changing, and with it the experience for fans. Anyone who wants to experience Phillip Island live once again will have their last chance to do so in 2026.
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