Marco Bezzecchi
Circuit designer Jarno Zaffelli has discussed how the Adelaide MotoGP circuit will not be a ‘true street circuit’.
The Australian Grand Prix will be moving from Phillip Island to Adelaide for the 2027 season, which will see the series race at a ‘street circuit’.
Although the decision to leave Phillip Island caused a lot of stir due to the iconic nature of the circuit that has been on the MotoGP calendar full-time since 1997, the main controversy was due to the street circuit replacement.
MotoGP has not raced at a street circuit since the 1981 Finnish Grand Prix, when the series raced at the Jarno Saarinen Imatra Circuit. The reason behind MotoGP not racing at a street circuit has been due to safety reasons, which has been a major debate against the move to Adelaide.
However, a new discussion point regarding the new venue for the Australian Grand Prix has seen it compared to a current circuit on the MotoGP calendar.
Would you boycott the 2027 Australian Grand Prix after MotoGP confirmed it will be a street race in Adelaide?
Jarno Zaffelli explains how Adelaide will be similar to Mandalika
The move from Phillip Island to Adelaide caused a lot of controversy as the move would see MotoGP return to a ‘street circuit’ for the first time since 1981.
However, circuit designer Jarno Zaffelli spoke to MotoSprint about how the Adelaide MotoGP circuit will not be a ‘true street circuit’ but will be similar to Mandalika.
Zaffelli believes the Adelaide circuit will be a purpose-built circuit for MotoGP within the city, rather than a MotoGP circuit that runs through the streets of Adelaide.
Zaffelli said, “Street circuits always divide those who love them from those who hate them. It’s no coincidence that there’s a large segment of fans who adore the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy and others who wish it never happened again.
“That, like others like Frohburg, where Luca Salvadori sadly passed away, are true street circuits and have little to do with the tracks where MotoGP races, which are defined as “zero impact”—that is, where the risk of hitting the barriers in a normal crash is practically zero.
“For this reason, I don’t believe Adelaide will be racing in a “street” setting in 2027. The real challenge isn’t so much building a street circuit, but designing a circuit that maintains MotoGP safety standards despite being in an urban context.”
He continued, “The circuit proposed for the Adelaide GP was immediately labelled a street circuit, but the proposed concept, for now, seems reminiscent of that of Mandalika: a fully-fledged permanent circuit, but located in a city park.
“Rather than calling it a street circuit, perhaps we should call it a permanent circuit in the middle of the city.”
MotoGP is moving the Australian GP to Adelaide’s streets in 2027, so what street tracks do you want to see return?
The Australian Grand Prix could become the 2027 season finale
After announcing Adelaide as the new home for the Australian Grand Prix, the MotoGP Sporting Officer Carlos Ezpeleta revealed another change that could be coming to the calendar.
During an interview about the changes to the MotoGP calendar for 2027, Ezpeleta revealed that the Australian Grand Prix will take place in November.
The Spaniard has revealed that the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group (Dorna), are also considering having the Australian Grand Prix as the final round of the season.
This decision would move the Valencia Grand Prix further into the calendar from its current place at the end of the season, where it has been for the majority of its time on the MotoGP calendar since 1999.
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