The Adelaide Street Circuit that first brought Formula 1 to Australia will once again come to life for global motorsport, with the reveal of the new Adelaide Circuit set to deliver the first ever MotoGP™ city street race in 2027.
The 4.13-kilometre, 15-corner street circuit brings back elements of the iconic Grand Prix track of the 1980s and 90s including Stag Corner, Rundle Road, Brewery Bend and Dequetteville Terrace. The new design takes racing to a new level with fast, sweeping lines designed to cater for multi-class racing categories into the future.
The proposed $96 million circuit will host the world’s first MotoGP event to be held on a city street circuit – the MotoGP™ Grand Prix of Australia Adelaide 2027 which is anticipated to be held ahead of the bp Adelaide Grand Final in November next year.
Modelling indicates MotoGP bikes will hit speeds of 340 km/h-plus along Dequetteville Terrace, with Supercars topping 275 km/h.
The city street race in a Park Lands setting against the backdrop of the Adelaide CBD will showcase our city and state to a global audience of more than 630 million people.
The MotoGP and Supercars events are anticipated to create a combined annual economic return of more than $200 million per year.
In addition to the MotoGP™ Grand Prix of Australia Adelaide 2027 and the bp Adelaide Grand Final, the Adelaide Circuit will also deliver the return of the Santos Tour Down Under Classic from 2028, where some of the world’s best cyclists will race around the Adelaide circuit in a high-stakes sprint in front of tens of thousands of fans.
The Adelaide Circuit Redevelopment Project will also deliver significant enhancements to key arts and community events in the Adelaide Park Lands, including new service infrastructure to support Adelaide Fringe venues at Gluttony and the Garden of Unearthly Delights.
The project will also feature construction of a purpose-designed water jump in Victoria Park/Pakapakanthi for the renowned Adelaide Equestrian Festival – the only 5-star International Horse Trials held in the Southern Hemisphere.
Beyond these benefits, the Government has worked collaboratively with the Conservation Council SA on a significant $15 million Adelaide Park Lands Nature Positive Package to ensure a greener, cooler, wilder Park Lands, which in the view of the Conservation Council, will ensure the project delivers a nature positive outcome.
The proposed circuit design has been informed by detailed collaboration between the South Australian Motor Sport Board, Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, Motorcycling Australia, MotoGP and Supercars Australia to ensure safe and exciting racing across all formats. Specialist input has been provided by former 125cc and 250cc World Champion and current MotoGP Safety Advisor Loris Capirossi and five-time Supercars champion Mark Skaife. The circuit will be modified between events to help deliver the close, intense racing that Supercars is known for.
The proposed design minimises impacts on the Adelaide Park Lands by prioritising the protection of significant trees wherever possible, utilising sections of the existing road circuit and relocation of temporary pit building facilities closer to Fullarton Road, enabling much of the existing concrete hardstand in the centre of Victoria Park/Pakapakanthi to be returned to green space.
With the current temporary pit building facility approaching end of life, the South Australian Government will tender for a replacement temporary structure to accommodate future Adelaide Grand Final and MotoGP events. This new facility presents an opportunity to reduce construction and dismantling timeframes by up to a third.
The new circuit design includes modifications from the reference design released in February. These changes preserve an avenue of significant gum trees along Wakefield Road and saves the Glover Playspace on the corner of East Terrace and Wakefield Street.
The change reduces road closures affecting nearby residents and businesses on East Terrace and enables Wakefield Road to be promptly opened to traffic between events.
Subject to public consultation and approval by the City of Adelaide, the project will deliver enhanced sport, fitness and play spaces including:
- An upgraded soccer field with lighting in front of the heritage grandstand.
- All other sport ovals in Victoria Park will be reinstated and there will be no change to the playing fields in King Rodney Park/Ityamai-itpina (Park 15).
- A new 1.2 km unobstructed cycling loop – providing a dedicated space for cycling races, training and Pedal Prix. Importantly the existing conflict points with shared use paths have also been addressed.
- An enhanced east-west Shared Use Path connecting the Burnside bikeway via the Grant Avenue signalised intersection with Halifax Street.
- A new east-west Shared Use Path parallel to Wakefield Road. This new path was proposed by the City of Adelaide in their masterplan but not delivered. This path is also decoupled from the cycling criterium loop to ensure a safe separation for both users.
- A new pedestrian and cyclist refuge on Wakefield Road, addressing a missing link in the network and creating a better connection to the Park Lands Trail.
- A new 5km running loop through the eastern Park Adelaide Lands and a 2km loop through Victoria Park/Pakapakanthi.
- New courts and playspace, potentially including a bike track, skate park, pickleball courts and basketball courts using the new hardstand area near Fullarton Road outside of major events.
- New accessible toilet facilities near Fullarton Road, replacing the old toilet block in the centre of Victoria Park/Pakapakanthi.
- Gravel run-off areas used for event safety will also be returned to new grassed community spaces outside event periods. Community feedback will help shape any further potential enhancements in these areas.
The circuit will double as a new walking, running and cycling connection between Wakefield Road and Bartels Road through the Park Lands with a new pedestrian/cycling refuge on Bartels Road.
There are currently 8,895 trees in the circuit precinct, 95 per cent of which will remain untouched by the project.
In total, the project is expected to require removal of 377 trees, the majority of which are either unregulated, invasive species, dead or in poor health. 42 of the trees to be removed are significant. A further 88 trees will be transplanted to nearby locations within the park in accordance with arborists’ advice. An additional 22 trees require further detailed below ground investigation to confirm they can be retained.
The South Australian Government is committed to replacing every removed tree on a 10:1 basis, meaning a net increase of at least 3,393 trees in the Adelaide Park Lands. All replacement trees will be mature stock, ranging from 45 litres to 200 litres. There will also be 123,000 new understorey plantings.
The circuit will impact part of a protected grassland in Victoria Park established in 2011. The affected grassland area will be fully replaced and expanded by a further 180m². This means there will be more native grassland habitat overall. We are also exploring opportunities to transplant native grasses into the new area.
The $15 million Adelaide Park Lands Nature Positive Package will be delivered in addition to these measures, and includes:
- Increasing tree canopy cover and habitat in the Park Lands – through the planting of trees and understorey.
- Rare plants and biodiversity improvement – Increasing the diversity and genetic resilience of native plant species, including rare species, within the Park Lands.
- Partnering with Trees for Life to deliver native plants to achieve stronger biodiversity outcomes.
- Butterfly habitat restoration – targeted activities for the Satin Azure Butterfly, the Golden-haired Sedge Skipper and the Chequered Copper Butterfly.
- Support for the grey-headed flying fox – upgrades cooling infrastructure and regenerates habitat for the colony.
- River Torrens revitalisation – re-establishing native aquatic plants at priority sites and revegetating riverbank to stabilise soils and improve biodiversity and amenity. New water infrastructure will support the reintroduction of native species including, but not limited to, Platypus.
- Stormwater infrastructure – to reduce excess nutrients, pollution and sediment entering the River Torrens.
- Boosting funding for the Grassroot Grants Program to support community groups to deliver urban greening and biodiversity improvement.
- Seed Conservation Centre restoration – to provide improved plant conservation outcomes.
The Adelaide Circuit Redevelopment project is being delivered in accordance with relevant environmental and heritage legislation including the referral process under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
A team of experts has assessed the project in accordance with the EPBC Act and Significant Impact Guidelines. The assessment found the project is unlikely to have a significant impact on Matters of National Environmental Significance.
However, to minimise the risk of legal cost and delay, a referral will be submitted to the Federal Minister for the Environment and Water to determine whether further assessment or approval is required.
South Australians can now provide their feedback on the proposed circuit design, community space enhancements, and proposed tree and vegetation planting focus areas within the Adelaide Park Lands.
The consultation process is commencing from today and remaining open until Sunday, 20 September 2026. Feedback received will be used to help finalise the detailed design.
