– MotoGP will not race on the new Madring in Madrid for the time being. Carlos Ezpeleta, Deputy CEO of the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group (MSEG), makes it clear that the new Formula 1 circuit in its current form is not an option for the motorcycle world championship.
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Formula 1 will visit there for the first time this week. The circuit replaces the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as the venue for the Spanish Grand Prix.
Speculation that MotoGP might follow is clearly rejected. “The Madring would not be suitable for MotoGP,” says the Spaniard. At the same time, the MotoGP manager does not rule out an adjustment of the circuit in principle.
The decisive factor is the requirements of motorcycle racing, especially with regard to safety. “Whether they would have to make changes or not, it might be feasible. But the Madring and the track in Adelaide are completely different,” he compares to the new MotoGP city circuit.
Adelaide is initially to remain a one-off project
Adelaide, which will serve as the new venue for the Australian Grand Prix from 2027, is an experiment of great strategic importance for MotoGP.
The circuit is located within the city but is also intended to meet the safety standards necessary for motorcycles. Among other things, extensive runoff areas and gravel traps are planned. The project is considered one of the most ambitious undertakings of MotoGP in recent years.
Whether the concept could then be transferred to other cities remains open according to Ezpeleta. First, Adelaide must be successfully implemented: “I think it is important at the moment that Adelaide works well,” he says.
“There is still a lot of important work ahead of us in the coming months to ensure that it is a success. We are completely convinced that this will be the case.” MotoGP sees the project as an important learning phase, “because it will be the first time we carry out something like this,” emphasizes the Deputy CEO. “We have to bring in millions of cubic meters of gravel.”
If the concept works, MotoGP also wants to present the collected experiences to other potential organizers. “We will create an experience that we can then present to other Grand Prix organizers, if there is interest,” announces Ezpeleta.
In the short term, however, he does not expect any further expansion of this concept. “At the moment, our focus with this type of race track is exclusively on Adelaide.”
And further: “We do not expect anything comparable to be added to the calendar in the short term. But of course, this opens up corresponding potential for the future.” However, even if Adelaide is a success, MotoGP does not want to fill its race calendar with city circuits in the future.
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No flood of city circuits in the race calendar
When asked whether a larger number of such events are planned in the near future, Ezpeleta first clarifies: “The term ‘fill’ is too broad. For us, it is crucial that this Grand Prix works well.”
He sees Adelaide primarily as an opportunity to make MotoGP accessible to a new audience. Especially the location in the middle of the city could make a difference. “We believe it can create enormous added value for the city of Adelaide, the community in South Australia, and MotoGP.”
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The decisive advantage for Ezpeleta is that spectators could experience MotoGP directly in the city center. “We believe we will gain many new fans if people in the city center can experience MotoGP up close,” he explains the advantages of the city circuit. “But the experience itself will be something other cities will want to emulate.”
Implementation in other cities difficult
At the same time, Ezpeleta warns against making Adelaide a universally valid model for MotoGP. The conditions are difficult to reproduce in other cities.
“Of course, it will not be possible in many cities around the world to build a MotoGP race track like the one in Adelaide. That is an extremely complicated undertaking.” He therefore considers a massive expansion of such circuits to be excluded.
“We do not expect this to lead to a third or a quarter of the MotoGP calendar being organized in this way in the future.” Nevertheless, Ezpeleta confirms that there is interest from other organizers.
“We receive inquiries from other race tracks. We are aware that we have to align our ambitions with what is feasible.” With this, MotoGP pursues a middle path: opening up new event formats and markets without overloading the calendar with city circuits realized in the short term.
Adelaide faces a major test
The next few months will therefore be entirely dedicated to preparing the Australian Grand Prix. The switch from Phillip Island to Adelaide is a big step for MotoGP anyway. After extensive adjustments, the new circuit is to meet the necessary safety requirements and at the same time enable a completely different event experience.
Ezpeleta therefore emphasizes that the introduction of new circuits cannot be arbitrarily accelerated: “Such things take time. There is already a plan for new race tracks to be included in the world championship, and it is not possible to have three or four new tracks debut every year.”
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Adelaide is a special challenge and must first prove that it works in practice. “As I said, there are inquiries from other race tracks, but at the moment Adelaide must be successful,” summarizes Ezpeleta.
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