MotoGP deputy CEO Carlos Ezpeleta stressed that the new Madrid Formula 1 track is currently not suitable for MotoGP, while making it clear that fans should not expect to see a flood of Adelaide-style circuits on the calendar.
MotoGP is preparing to explore new territories and initiatives under the ownership of Liberty Media. Following the American company’s takeover of MotoGP, a clear objective has been set to reach a wider fan base and experience growth similar to that seen in F1.
One of the initiatives that has attracted the most attention regarding MotoGP’s immediate future is the new Adeliade track, which will replace Phillip Island as the Australian Grand Prix’s host venue from 2027.
Unlike Phillip Island, which is located away from mainland Melbourne, the new Adelaide street circuit will run through the city centre, bringing the championship closer to the public. But it will also not be a typical street circuit akin to Monaco or the Isle of Man.
The expansion of racing calendars is nothing new in modern sport, and the trend in motorsport – led by F1 – is to increasingly favour street circuits at the expense of permanent tracks.
This week, the new Madring circuit on the outskirts of Madrid will take over from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as the venue for the Spanish Grand Prix. It will be yet another example of an urban circuit in a calendar that already includes Albert Park (Australia), Miami and Las Vegas (United States), Monaco (Monte Carlo), Baku (Azerbaijan) and Marina Bay (Singapore).
During MotoGP’s Aragon Grand Prix weekend, plans were unveiled for the revamped Adelaide circuit, which has been altered from the legendary layout previously used in F1 and, more recently, in Supercars.
MotoGP’s Ezpeleta discussed the championship’s potential expansion to other similar circuits in an interview with selected media, including Motorsport.com.
Asked whether the Madring model would suit what MotoGP is looking for, with a view to potentially hosting a grand prix there in the future, Ezpeleta said: “Madring wouldn’t be suitable [for MotoGP].
Explaining that the Madrid circuit would need to make modifications to bring it up to safety standards for motorcycle racing, he added: “Whether or not they have to make modifications, it might be possible. But the Madring circuit and the one in Adelaide are completely different.”
Carlos Ezpeleta, Dorna Sports Deputy CEO
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / Getty Images
Asked by Motorsport.com whether Adelaide building a conventional but temporary circuit within a city could increase interest from other potential hosts around the world, he said: “Well, I think that right now it’s important for Adelaide to go well. We have a lot of important work ahead of us over the coming months to ensure it’s a success.
“We’re fully confident that it will be. And we’re going to learn a great deal, because it will be the first time we’ve done this. There are millions of cubic metres of gravel that we need to lay.
“We’ll create an experience that we can then, if there’s interest, showcase to other grand prix organisers. But at the moment, the focus on this type of circuit is solely on Adelaide. And we don’t see anything similar joining the calendar straight away. But it clearly opens up that potential for the future.”
The chief executive was also asked whether MotoGP’s intention is for the calendar to be ‘filled’ with this type of circuit in the future. Ezpeleta sought to clarify this.
“The term ‘filled’ is too broad,” he explained. “For us, it is vital that this grand prix goes well. We are confident it will go well and we believe it can bring enormous value to the city of Adelaide, the community of South Australia and MotoGP.
“If this event goes as it should, there will be enormous global anticipation that this can be done. And we believe that when everyone in the city centre can experience MotoGP at such close quarters, we will attract many more fans. But the experience itself will be something that other cities will want to replicate.
“Certainly, building a MotoGP circuit like the one in Adelaide won’t be replicable in many cities around the world. It’s an extremely complicated undertaking. We don’t see this leading to a third or a quarter of the MotoGP calendar being organised in this way in the future. We’re receiving enquiries from other circuits. We’re aware that we need to balance ambition with realism.”
