The Australian Grand Prix, a fixture on the motorcycle racing calendar for nearly three decades, will move from the Phillip Island Circuit to a street circuit in Adelaide beginning in 2027, officials announced Thursday.
The agreement with Adelaide, finalized this week, secures the event for six years, ending a long-standing relationship with the Phillip Island Circuit, located two hours south of Melbourne. The current contract with Phillip Island expires after the 2026 race. “The relocation of the Grand Prix to Adelaide is an important step in the development of our championship,” Carlos Ezpeleta, the sporting director for the World Championship, said in a statement.
The 2026 race at Phillip Island is scheduled to be the final event held at the circuit, with plans for the event to take place in late October. The move follows a period of consideration that initially included discussions about hosting the race at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, home to the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. However, the Victoria state government vetoed those plans, paving the way for Adelaide to secure the event.
The decision has drawn criticism from some within the racing community. Two-time Australian World Champion Casey Stoner expressed his disappointment, stating, “Phillip Island is one of the greatest tracks in the world, it has had some of the best races ever. Now it’s being pushed aside for a street race.” Stoner has six wins at the Phillip Island circuit.
The 2026 WorldSBK season will begin at Phillip Island February 20-22, with official testing taking place February 16-17, according to the Phillip Island Circuit website. The season will include 12 rounds across multiple continents, including stops in Europe and Asia.
Nicolo Bulega of Aruba.it Ducati currently leads the rankings following preseason testing at Phillip Island, setting a best lap time of 1’28.630 on February 17. Sam Lowes, riding for Independent ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Ducati, was second fastest, 0.666 seconds behind Bulega. Lorenzo Baldassarri, on a GoEleven V4-R, secured third place.
