South Australia is expected to become Australia’s new home of MotoGP, after Victoria refused to meet the demands of the sport’s newly rebranded rights holder and lost the race.
Government officials confirmed on Tuesday that the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix will not return to Phillip Island beyond this year’s October event, bringing the curtain down on one of the most celebrated venues on the world championship calendar.
The decision follows months of tense contract negotiations between the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and what is now known as MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group, the organisation formerly known as Dorna Sports, which rebranded just days ago to reflect its shift from traditional motorsport rights holder to a global entertainment platform under Liberty Media ownership.
That strategic pivot is at the heart of why Phillip Island lost the race. MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group had demanded the event relocate to Melbourne’s Albert Park street circuit as a condition of any new deal, which is a push consistent with its stated ambition to pursue street venues, immersive fan experiences and broader mainstream appeal. The Victorian government countered with an increased financial offer, but only on the condition the race stayed at Phillip Island. MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group declined, and South Australia, which had been quietly courting the championship for months , moved to fill the void.
The fallout for the Phillip Island region is severe, with the loss expected to ripple across hospitality, retail and local employment, while also stripping the region of the international exposure that comes with hosting a round of the premier motorcycle world championship.
Albert Park was never a realistic alternative. Motorcycle racing requires generous run-off areas that the inner-Melbourne street circuit simply cannot accommodate without significant tree removal and track expansion.
Phillip Island has had a profound impact on MotoGP. The circuit has hosted the Australian round continuously since 1997, producing some of the sport’s defining moments like Mick Doohan’s dominance and Casey Stoner’s brilliance on home soil. A 10-year hosting deal struck in 2016 was intended to underwrite long-term investment in the facility, but the upgrades never fully materialised, leaving the circuit’s infrastructure increasingly out of step with MotoGP’s evolving standards and ambitions.
The final Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island is scheduled for October 23–25, 2026. What comes after that in South Australia has yet to be confirmed at time of writing.
Editorial Director at infomoto.com.au. Loves Rally bikes.
