'Major coup' as Adelaide steals iconic MotoGP race from Victoria, gaining revenge for F1 loss three decades ago

They say revenge is a dish best served cold.

And South Australian motorsport fans are lapping up confirmation that MotoGP's Australian Grand Prix will move to the Adelaide Street Circuit from 2027, marking a first of its kind event for the sport.

Thursday's press conference comes 30 years after Victoria's premier Jeff Kennett poached Australia's Formula 1 race from South Australia.

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Adelaide had hosted F1 from 1985 while Phillip Island's iconic track will host MotoGP for the last time this year.

South Australia will then take the reins from 2027-32 at least.

It will be the first MotoGP Grand Prix to be held in a city centre location.

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South Australia premier Peter Malinauskas was asked if he sees it as payback for the F1 heist.

"Never crossed my mind," he replied.

"I'm not a premier who is in the business of diminishing other states. I've seen some Victorian politicians seek to do that in the past and I don't know how that looks for them now.

"I'm not going to bag Victoria. I think Victoria is an amazing place... but we've got a few things now too."

The circuit layout was unveiled by Malinauskas and MotoGP chief sporting officer Carlos Ezpeleta. The inaugural Australian GP in Adelaide will be held across three days in November 2027.

The circuit will be about 4.195 km long with 18 corners winding through the city streets, enabling riders to reach speeds of more than 340km/h.

"This is a major coup for South Australia and yet more evidence our state has real momentum," Malinauskas said.

"We are now competing with the rest of the nation for the world's best events - and winning. Hosting the world's first MotoGP race on a street circuit will give Adelaide a truly unique offering that is sure to attract visitors from interstate and overseas.

"This is about so much more than a world class motorsport event - it's about generating economic activity for our state, supporting jobs, and putting South Australia on the global stage.

"We back major events that deliver a strong economic return, and MotoGP does exactly that. MotoGP is growing globally at record pace - and Adelaide will now be a key part of that growth story."

Wide World of Sports understands the MotoGP race will make up one weekend of a double header with the Supercars, likely separated by a fortnight.

It's unclear if the Supercars will also race on the updated layout, or if the V8 weekend would revert to the shortened version of the circuit it has used since 1999.

The track design follows the blueprint of the famous Adelaide Street Circuit that hosted F1 between 1985-95.

"Bringing MotoGP to Adelaide marks a major milestone in the evolution of our championship. This city has a world‑class reputation for hosting major sporting events, and the opportunity to design a purpose‑built circuit in the city streets is something truly unique in our sport," Ezpeleta said.

"From the very beginning, together with the FIM (International Motorcycling Federation), we made sure that safety remained uncompromised - every element of the Adelaide Street Circuit has been engineered to meet the highest standards of modern MotoGP, ensuring riders can race at full intensity with complete confidence.

"Adelaide's commitment to major events makes it the perfect home for MotoGP's next chapter in Australia.

"We're incredibly excited to showcase a new style of racing here and to create a true celebration of our sport that brings fans even closer to the action.

"This partnership represents bold ambition from both MotoGP and Australia - and we couldn't be prouder to begin this journey together."