New MotoGP track in Adelaide draws mixed reaction from fans
South Australian authorities have unveiled a new 4.13-kilometre MotoGP street circuit in Adelaide. From November 2027, it will host MotoGP and the Supercars season finale. The $96 million project has received mixed reviews from fans and drivers: the track is generally viewed positively in terms of safety, but some fans doubt how entertaining the racing will be, ABC News Australia reports.
The new configuration partly recreates elements of Adelaide's former Formula 1 street circuit. It brings back the Rundle Road straight, Stag Corner near the historic Stag Hotel, and the right-hand Brewery Bend on Dequetteville Terrace. After that, riders will enter a 900-metre straight that was also part of the old Formula 1 circuit.
Changes for Supercars
At the same time, the updated layout will not retain several iconic sections valued by Supercars fans. In particular, the fast Turn 8 from Bartels Road to Dequetteville Terrace will disappear, while the sequence of turns between Wakefield Road and Hutt Street, known as the “stairs”, will be removed. The Senna Chicane will also be changed.
Two-time MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia said it is difficult to fully imagine the track from the video, although its configuration currently seems interesting to him. At the same time, the rider believes it will be considerably less interesting than the Phillip Island circuit in Victoria, which Adelaide will replace on the MotoGP calendar in 2027.
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Italian rider Luca Marini noted the substantial amount of work needed to meet safety requirements, including the installation of run-off areas and new surfacing. According to government estimates, MotoGP motorcycles will be able to reach speeds of up to 343 km/h on the track, while Supercars cars will reach up to 265 km/h.
Infrastructure in the parklands
The project has raised concerns over its impact on Adelaide's eastern parklands. The published design provides for the removal of at least 377 trees, including 42 classified as significant. Authorities promise to plant new trees at a ratio of 10 to 1.
The government also agreed to fund infrastructure works in the parklands: an upgrade of the football field in front of the historic Victoria Park grandstand, a 1.2-kilometre obstacle-free cycling route, a five-kilometre running route, as well as water and electricity networks for the Garden of Unearthly Delights and Gluttony venues during the Adelaide Fringe Festival. Adelaide Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith said these decisions had significantly eased individual opposition to the project.
