Victoria loses Phillip Island MotoGP as Adelaide swoops

Victoria has lost the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix after three decades, ending the MotoGP’s long connection to Phillip Island and dealing a blow to the Allan government.  BreakingSportMotorsportMotoGPVictoria loses Phillip Island MotoGP as Adelaide swoopsBy Hannah Kennelly and Cameron Houston February 18, 2026 — 4.53pmSaveLog in, register or subscribe to save articles for later.Save articles for laterAdd articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.Got itNormal text sizeLarger text sizeVery large text sizeAdvertisementVictoria has lost the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix after three decades, ending the race’s long connection to Phillip Island and dealing a blow to the Victorian government.A government source familiar with the situation told this masthead that Victoria had lost the event and confirmed it would be moving to South Australia.Victoria will no longer host the Moto GP Credit: Getty ImagesThe Australian Grand Prix Corporation has for months been locked in tense negotiations with Dorna Sports to extend a contract to host the race at the famed Phillip Island circuit.On Tuesday, the Allan government ruled out a request from MotoGP rights holder Dorna Sports to move the event to Albert Park.In a statement, the government said the state had agreed to contribute additional funding to help Dorna Sports create a “bigger, better event beyond 2026” but only on the condition that the event remained at Phillip Island. The race will now move to South Australia.LoadingDestination Philip Island regional tourism chairman Geoff Webb said he had not received confirmation from anyone, but said it would be a massive loss to the region.“It’s a significant blow to tourism for the region and will have a huge impact on hospitality, retail and local employment,” he told this masthead.“It also reduces international exposure for Victoria. We’ve been working for six months with the government and council and stakeholders to maintain the event, which contributes significantly to local economy.Advertisement“Our focus now is on identifying tourist initiatives to hopefully fill the loss.”Dorna Sports has openly considered racing more on street circuits since it was bought by Formula 1 owners Liberty Media last year.In January, a government source familiar with the negotiations told The Age that Spain-based Dorna Sports had demanded the event be moved to Albert Park in inner Melbourne if the contract was to be renewed.Motorcycle circuits typically require more space than Formula 1 tracks so riders who crash can slide onto large run-off areas and minimise injury.Many of Albert Park’s barriers are close to the track, meaning motorcycle races would likely require track expansion and tree felling, which would anger locals and cost millions of dollars.The event had a long-standing connection with Phillip Island and had been the scene of several historic victories by local riders, including Mick Doohan and Casey Stoner.Last year’s MotoGP attracted 93,000 fans — the highest since 2012 and a 10,000 increase on 2024.The final Australian Grand Prix under Phillip Island’s current 10-year contract will be held from Friday, October 23 to Sunday, October 25 this year.News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.SaveLog in, register or subscribe to save articles for later.License this articleMotoGPHannah Kennelly is an award-winning sports reporter and Formula 1 writer at The Age.Connect via email.Cameron Houston is a senior crime reporter.Connect via email.Most Viewed in SportLoadingFrom our partnersLoading 3rd party ad contentLoading 3rd party ad contentLoading 3rd party ad contentLoading 3rd party ad contentAdvertisement