In motorsports, certain venues go on to become much more than mere tracks. Over time, they form a bond with certain championships, which eventually become each other’s identity. As MotoGP’s Australian Grand Prix will move from the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit to the Adelaide Street Circuit from 2027, veterans Kevin Harvick and Will Buxton are not questioning their ambitions, but the risk.

Will Buxton and Kevin Harvick broke down the MotoGP news

Speaking on SPEED, Buxton noted that Adelaide is a former Formula One venue and a street track. The problem is, in its 75 years, MotoGP has never raced on a street track. What works against this very idea is that the bikes are very fast. Pitting that against narrow street circuits, close walls, little to no run-off surfaces, and its a recipe for disaster. This is a track that last hosted F1 in 1995, and the track would have changed a little over the years.

The mastermind behind all this is Liberty Media, which owns F1 and recently bought MotoGP. The acquisition could be a good thing because their efforts helped enhance the global appeal of Formula One. The downside is that many critics are of the opinion that F1 lost its soul.

Buxton said, “Just cause it works in Formula One, doesn’t mean that same methodology works for MotoGP. Like I said, not in an area like Australia that already has that.”

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

Unlike cars, MotoGP bikes do not have a cockpit or any crash protection. Historically too, motorcycle racing has very rarely returned to full street circuits due to safety risks.

F1 drivers are protected by a massive tub of carbon fibre and it has been more than a decade since the last fatality. MotoGP riders don’t have that kind of protection, other than leather suits and a helmet. MotoGP’s last fatality in the senior-most class was Marco Simoncelli in 2011. It happened in a dark week that saw IndyCar’s Dan Wheldon killed a week earlier. After him was Moto2 rider Luis Salom in 2016, and the most recent fatality was Moto3 rider Jason Dupasquier in 2021. That’s not even mentioning the infamous Isle of Man TT, where there seems to be a fatality almost every year.

“Ultimately, it comes down to, it’s unsafe to start with… On a street circuit, with something that’s a bold decision…” said Harvick.

Street circuits have less space and closer walls. This becomes a big problem for a sport that is already so frequent to crashes.

This axing has proven one thing, and that is that Liberty Media are not afraid of ruffling feathers to get their own way. If an iconic venue like Phillip Island can face the chopping block, then no venue is safe. This has been evident in F1 as well, with an influx of street races filling the calendar. On one hand, it is smart business to bring the sport closer to the fans. The other side of the argument is that street races could compromise other areas of racing.

Many MotoGP legends have slammed the move

It was rather obvious that several MotoGP legends, particularly those from Australia, were unhappy with the move. Two-time champion Casey Stoner wrote on Instagram, “One of the greatest motorcycle circuits in the world that has produced some of the greatest and most entertaining races we have witnessed, and continues to do so year after year, is being pushed to the side in place of a race in Adelaide and supposedly a street circuit. Why would MotoGP take possibly their best circuit off the calendar? I’ll let everyone decide.”

Meanwhile, fellow champion Wayne Gardner blamed the government of Victoria for the loss of the track. He admitted, “I’ll be honest. This has been coming for some years, but I’m certainly not surprised. I’m disappointed and sad to hear the bad news. And it’s just not right.”

He has every right to be unhappy, as this absence will have a detrimental economic impact. As per a 2023 report, MotoGP generated more than $29 million in annual economic activity in Victoria. In addition to that, it also supported 284 full-time jobs, countless part-time jobs, and volunteer services.