Adelaide street circuit safety concerns batted away by MotoGP race winners

Multiple MotoGP race winners Jack Miller and Aleix Espargaro have backed the proposed Australian Grand Prix street track in Adelaide to be up to safety standards.

MotoGP announced on Thursday morning that it would be moving the Australian Grand Prix from Phillip Island to the series’ first-ever street circuit in Adelaide.

The news followed months of uncertainty over the future of the race at Phillip Island, with a recent proposal by MotoGP SEG (formerly Dorna) to move it to Albert Park rejected by the Victorian state government.

The local government then pledged funding to bring Phillip Island’s infrastructure up to standard, though MotoGP subsequently signed a deal with South Australia’s government to bring the grand prix to Adelaide.

The new circuit will run on an adapted layout of the former Formula 1 track, though the prospect of a street race for MotoGP has raised safety concerns.

Miller has “complete faith” in organiser to make Adelaide safe

Speaking at the press conference in Adelaide, Jack Miller put his backing behind MotoGP SEG to build a safe venue.

“There won't be any concrete barriers or air fences within touching distance,” Miller said.

“I have complete faith in Carlos [Ezpeleta] and his calculations.

“We sit down every Friday afternoon at the grand prix and have a meeting with them.

“We discuss the queries we have, whether it's about track safety, the exit area, the depth of the gravel, the consistency of the run-off areas, down to literally the size of the stones [in the gravel]

“They have an incredible range of knowledge about accidents and the time required to stop, and all the data from the G-force sensors, with the racing suits.

“They are able to track all of this, and it's all stored. In a normal accident, there are no safety concerns.”

On X (formerly Twitter), Aleix Espargaro also moved to calm safety fears.

“Not a street circuit like the one we all imagine in Monaco F1 style, but I fully trust that MotoGP has studied Adelaide and is confident they can provide run-off areas that are just as safe (or even safer) than, for example, the final corner at PI [Phillip Island],” he wrote.