The end of an era – a new era begins in MotoGP

Phillip Island was – and we’re already speaking in the past tense – an iconic fixture on the Motorcycle World Championship calendar. The circuit at the ‘end of the world’ was right at the top of the list of favourite venues for riders and fans alike, and the races were always thrilling. But none of these arguments was enough to keep it on the calendar. The downsides of the Phillip Island event carried more weight. Namely, the remoteness of the location and the lack of infrastructure, both at the circuit and in terms of accommodation.

A situation that prompted the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group (formerly Dorna) prompted the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group (formerly Dorna) to ask – or rather, demand – that the Victorian state authorities move the Australian Grand Prix to the city of Melbourne, with the intention of holding it at the Albert Park circuit used for Formula 1, i.e. a street circuit.

The state of Victoria rejected this proposal and instead offered to make a significant financial contribution towards improving the infrastructure on the island, but the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group rejected this option within less than 24 hours. A few hours later, the relocation of the Australian Grand Prix to Adelaide, the capital of the state of South Australia, from 2027 onwards was officially announced. The venue? A modernised Adelaide Street Circuit. We are definitely facing a radical change in the layout of the World Championship.

A new balance of power

For although Carmelo Ezpeleta officially remains at the helm of the championship, decisions regarding MotoGP and all other championships belonging to the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group have long been taken by Liberty, even before the acquisition of Dorna was officially finalised. The transition from the leadership of Ezpeleta and Aldama, who were Dorna’s number one and two, is likely to take two to three years, after which the centre of the MotoGP promoter’s operations will have shifted from Madrid to London.

As for the policy Liberty will pursue in MotoGP, the future has already been mapped out in Formula 1. The Grands Prix will evolve from sporting events into entertainment spectacles taking place in locations that offer an attractive ‘post-circuit’ experience. In other words, these will be events linked to major urban centres. The future Argentine Grand Prix, which is due to take place in Buenos Aires in 2027, is the best example of this format. Despite the efforts and good work of Termas de Río Hondo, the Argentine GP is being moved to the country’s bustling capital.

The Phillip Island episode has made it clear that Liberty Media – or the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group, whatever you choose to call it – will not take into account the distress their decisions may cause among MotoGP fans. The new format prioritises corporate logic 100 per cent. Which VIP guests – the CEOs of major companies – will they take to Phillip Island or MotorLand Aragón?

Grands Prix are becoming events

MotoGP has always suffered from a lack of major sponsors. Changing this situation is Liberty’s top priority. But the sponsors must then also get a return on their investment, and that means turning a race into an event. Let’s take the Madrid Open tennis tournament as an example. The vast majority of people have little interest in tennis and only go to the stadium when tennis star Alcaraz is playing. During other matches, the stands are empty, but all the VIP boxes are sold out and there is never a shortage of sponsors. The highlights on social media are enough.

This is the MotoGP of the future – a future which, whether you like it or not, will arrive sooner rather than later.