Australia Set For 'First Grand Prix On A City-Centre Circuit' From...! MotoGP Swap Phillip Island For Adelaide

Last Updated:February 19, 2026, 11:23 IST

Phillip Island will host its final MotoGP this year after nearly three decades as authorities announced that the Grand Prix down under will be moved to Adelaide beginning in 2027.

Australia’s Phillip Island will host its final MotoGP this year after nearly three decades, with organizers announcing on Thursday that the race will move to a street circuit in Adelaide from 2027.

The event has been held at the picturesque and often windswept waterfront circuit about two hours outside Melbourne since 1997, but its contract expires this year.

“The #AustralianGP will move to Adelaide from 2027 – marking what will be the first Grand Prix on a city-centre circuit," MotoGP posted on their page.

Promoter MotoGP Sports Entertainment, formerly known as Dorna, aimed to broaden its appeal by moving the race to Melbourne’s Albert Park, which hosts the opening race of the Formula One season in early March.

However, the Victorian state government insisted it should remain at the “iconic and much-loved" Phillip Island, where it significantly boosts the local economy, attracting more than 90,000 fans last year.

With negotiations failing, South Australia intervened and secured the race for six years starting in 2027 in Adelaide, marking the first MotoGP to be held in a city-centre location.

“Bringing MotoGP to Adelaide marks a major milestone in the evolution of our championship," said MotoGP Chief Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta.

“This city has a world-class reputation for hosting major sporting events, and the opportunity to design a purpose-built circuit in the city streets is something truly unique in our sport."

South Australia state Premier Peter Malinauskas described it as a “major coup" for Adelaide.

“We support major events that deliver a strong economic return, and MotoGP does exactly that. MotoGP is growing globally at a record pace, and Adelaide will now be a key part of that growth story," he said.

Adelaide previously hosted the Australian Formula One Grand Prix until it lost the event to Melbourne in 1995.

(With Inputs Form Agencies)

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