Phillip Island Designer Opposes Adelaide MotoGP

Bob Barnard, the designer of the modern Phillip Island Circuit and Adelaide’s former Formula 1 street track, has opposed the plan to move the Australian MotoGP to a new Adelaide street circuit from 2027. In an open letter shared by Mat Oxley and quoted in a report by Peter McLaren on July 1, 2026, Barnard warned that the decision could threaten the future of one of motorcycle racing’s most recognised venues.

His central concern is that Phillip Island could lose both of its major international championships. After MotoGP leaves in 2027, WorldSBK is also expected to depart from 2028. Barnard referred to suggestions that circuit property owner Lindsay Fox could eventually convert the site into a golf course, although the available material presents that outcome as a concern rather than a confirmed decision.

“After careful consideration, I am now strongly opposing this proposed intention to relocate the MotoGP,” Barnard wrote.

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Barnard had initially avoided taking a public position because he had lived outside Australia for three decades and had direct connections to both venues. He was responsible for creating the current Phillip Island layout and bringing the motorcycle grand prix to Australia in 1989, while also designing Adelaide’s original Formula 1 street circuit. The possibility of losing the historical value attached to both locations ultimately prompted him to speak out.

Barnard argued that the proposed MotoGP layout in Adelaide is not the original Formula 1 circuit and should not be considered a direct replacement for Phillip Island. In his assessment, Australia risks losing two internationally recognised motorsport assets in order to establish one new venue whose effectiveness, environmental impact and financial viability have not yet been fully demonstrated.

The dispute also extends to environmental concerns surrounding the Adelaide Parklands. Barnard highlighted local opposition involving public space, mature trees and wildlife habitat that could be affected by construction. He believes the interests of Adelaide residents and motorsport supporters should align around the same demand for full transparency before irreversible work begins.

Barnard called for the complete circuit design, environmental footprint, financial case and an objective assessment of the project’s consequences to be made public. He also compared Phillip Island’s position with that of Mount Panorama Circuit at Bathurst, arguing that the closure or major alteration of another historic Australian venue would provoke a similar response from the country’s racing community.

The open letter adds further pressure to the Adelaide MotoGP plan ahead of the scheduled 2027 move. Beyond the organisation of a single grand prix, the debate now centres on whether Australia can create a new venue without sacrificing Phillip Island’s legacy, Adelaide’s historic identity and the environmental interests connected to the Parklands.