design, I know how the Aussies
go when building stuff like that.
They're generally full-on with
the safety aspect and quality of
build. So, no worries [there]."
The Victorian government in
Australia had said it was prepared
to invest large sums in Phillip
Island to keep the GP there. The
problem was that the MotoGP
Sports Entertainment Group
[MSEG, formerly known as Dorna]
had been asking for upgrades to
the circuit's facilities since 2022.
Then there was the attendance
issue, with just 37,192 fans show-
ing up on race day last year. And
MSEG had initially wanted Victoria
to switch the GP to Albert Park,
which hosts the annual For-
mula One GP. When the Victorian
government ruled that out, MSEG
pressed ahead with the Adelaide
plan, believing the event would at-
tract bigger crowds. It also points
to a potential blueprint for future
events under Liberty Media's guid-
ance as MotoGP's new owners, in
which a race can be packaged as a
weekend festival to draw new fans.
"Adelaide's commitment to
major events makes it the perfect
home for MotoGP's next chapter
in Australia," said MotoGP Chief
Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta.
"We're incredibly excited to show-
case a new style of racing here
and to create a true celebration
of our sport that brings fans even
closer to the action."
Miller was torn when discussing
the news. "Obviously devastated
to see [Phillip Island] go off the cal-
endar. I've been racing motorbikes
for 15 years—it's probably the best
track I've ever ridden. But on the
other hand, I'm excited Australia
has been bold enough to step up
to the plate and be the world's first
on this street circuit. It's a six-
minute walk from pit lane to the
main street of Adelaide. It's going
to be fun for all the punters and an
amazing spectacle."
On whether he thought the
circuit design would be fun to
ride, Miller shrugged. "It's a street
circuit. [They're] never the most
amazing circuits, [with] undula-
tions, like you get in COTA or Phillip
Island. The track gave me Balaton
[Park, in the hated track in Hun-
gary] vibes. Except it's not in the
middle of nowhere. It's in a part of
the city. So that's pretty cool."
Neil Morrison
VOLUME 63 ISSUE 8 FEBRUARY 24, 2026 P25
(Right) The new
street venue will
use most of what
was last used
for the Formula
One GP in 1995.
(Below) The
seaside Phillip
Island venue
will host its last
race in 2026
before moving to
Adelaide.
