Marco Bezzecchi
Phillip Island dropping off the MotoGP calendar is ‘tragic’, Keith Huewen says. The news was confirmed in a press conference on Thursday.
The iconic circuit will host its final race in late October after negotiations over a contract extension failed. Controversially, the event will move to a street circuit in Adelaide.
There have been rumblings that MotoGP would begin racing at city venues ever since F1 owners Liberty Media completed their acquisition of the sport last year. The move has inevitably raised concerns over rider safety.
Is MotoGP selling its soul by leaving Phillip Island?
Phillip Island first hosted the Australian Grand Prix in 1989 and has done so continuously since 1997, barring a two-year interruption for the coronavirus pandemic.
Keith Huewen says ‘it’s about money’ as Phillip Island drops off MotoGP calendar
Writing on X, former Grand Prix rider Keith Huewen called the Phillip Island news ‘tragic’.
The 2.8-mile layout has made for some of the most entertaining racing the sport has seen in recent years, but Huewen said that wasn’t a decisive factor.
“It’s not about the track, or Phillip Island would never be in doubt,” he wrote in a follow-up post. “It’s about money. Phillip Island is a fantastic track but falls well short on everything else (unless you like penguins).”
Do you agree with Jack Miller’s comments on the Adelaide street circuit? 🤔
The location of the circuit has created problems with traffic, and the scarcity of accommodation has driven up prices for attendees.
Huewen also sounded far from enthusiastic about Adelaide as a MotoGP venue. The track hosted F1 between 1985 and 1995.
“I trust MotoGP to get the safety right, but losing a track like Phillip Island, for this, is an excuse for progress,” he said. “2027 is a long way off yet.”
Suzi Perry believes MotoGP has lost its ‘best track’
TNT Sports host Suzi Perry also reacted to the news on X, writing, ‘This was our best track’, accompanied by an eyeroll emoji.
While there were a series of dramatic storylines in the 2025 season, including Francesco Bagnaia’s decline at Ducati and Jorge Martin’s attempted Aprilia exit, the quality of the on-track product was arguably lacking.
The lack of overtaking may be a product of the bikes rather than circuits, but the removal of Phillip Island is arguably a step in the wrong direction in this regard.
Wayne Gardner says the Australian GP has become ‘hideously expensive’, suggesting the Victorian government and AGP Corp only have themselves to blame.
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