Red Bull to Sponsor MotoGP’s 2027 Adelaide Australian GP

Inside MotoGP’s first city-center Grand Prix deal

The Short Answer: Red Bull will be the title sponsor of MotoGP’s Australian Grand Prix when it moves to a new 4.13-kilometer, 15-corner street circuit in downtown Adelaide, South Australia. The inaugural Red Bull Grand Prix of Australia runs November 12-14, 2027, as the penultimate round of the season, and the multi-year deal continues through 2028.

If you’ve followed MotoGP for any length of time, you know two things about Red Bull. One, the cans are everywhere. Two, the company never shows up to a party empty-handed. So when MotoGP announced that the energy drink giant has signed on as title sponsor of the Australian Grand Prix, just as the race packs its bags and leaves Phillip Island for the streets of Adelaide, it felt less like a surprise and more like the logical next chapter. The bull has officially been let loose in a city center, and this time there’s a racetrack under its hooves.

What MotoGP Announced

According to MotoGP’s official release, the championship has agreed to a new multi-year partnership with Red Bull that makes the brand the title sponsor of the Australian Grand Prix as the event begins its new era in Adelaide. The first race in the South Australian capital will be held November 12-14, 2027, and Red Bull’s title partnership continues into 2028.

That means the event will officially be called the Red Bull Grand Prix of Australia. The branding was already on full display at the announcement, complete with a massive inflatable Red Bull arch planted on the circuit’s tarmac,, about as subtle as a straight-pipe superbike at a library.

MotoGP says the partnership gives both parties a platform for “innovative fan experiences, extensive city-wide activations and unique entertainment throughout race week.” In plain English, expect Adelaide to feel like a full-blown motorcycle festival, not just a three-day race meeting. The release also points out that the deal builds on Red Bull’s long-standing commitment to motorcycle racing and to developing the next generation of talent in the sport.

Why Adelaide Matters

This isn’t just a new sticker on an old race. The Australian Grand Prix is changing homes entirely. MotoGP first confirmed in February 2026 that the race would move to the Adelaide Street Circuit from 2027 under a six-year agreement that runs through 2032 inclusive. MotoGP has described it as the first MotoGP Grand Prix to be held in a city-center location, built to the uncompromised safety standards required in the modern era.

That last part matters. Street racing and modern MotoGP machinery don’t naturally get along. These bikes are capable of more than 340 km/h (roughly 211 mph), and concrete walls are notoriously unforgiving teachers. MotoGP says the circuit is the result of months of collaboration with the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and partners in Adelaide, with the goal of delivering world-class racing while meeting the highest modern safety standards. MotoGP Race Direction Representative Loris Capirossi has also walked fans through the safety features and challenges of the layout.

A Legendary Layout, Reimagined

Adelaide’s streets carry serious motorsport history. The original Adelaide Street Circuit hosted Formula One from 1985 through 1995, and the new MotoGP layout follows that blueprint with significant changes made for rider safety. The finalized circuit, unveiled by South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas on August 30, 2026, measures 4.13 km (about 2.57 miles) with 15 corners.

It brings back several famous sections of the old F1 track, including Stag Corner, Rundle Road, Brewery Bend and Dequetteville Terrace. MotoGP also notes the proposed circuit carries a price tag of $96 million (Australian), and that the project is intended to improve the surrounding park lands and public spaces well beyond race weekend.

Malinauskas summed up the venue’s heritage best when the circuit was unveiled, recalling “Mansell’s exploding tyre. Senna and Prost on the podium after Senna’s last F1 victory. Craig Lowndes winning from last on the grid.” Those are big shoes to fill. Or in this case, big boots.

2027 Red Bull Grand Prix of Australia Fact Sheet

The Penultimate Round, Where Titles Get Decided

Here’s where things get spicy. MotoGP’s provisional 2027 calendar, revealed in September 2026, runs 22 Grands Prix across five continents and puts Adelaide at Round 21. Only the Valencia finale on November 28 comes after it.

In other words, a brand-new street circuit that nobody has raced on before will show up right when championship battles are reaching their boiling point. MotoGP says the event is “set to provide a dramatic backdrop as championship battles reach their climax.” I’d go a step further. Asking title contenders to learn a wall-lined city track with the championship on the line is the kind of pressure test that separates the legends from the guys explaining themselves in the press conference.

It also lands in a significant season. The FIM has described 2027 as a new era of technical regulations for the premier class, so teams and riders will be learning new machinery and a brand-new circuit in the same year. Bring a notepad, fellas.

What the Key Players Said

Carlos Ezpeleta, Deputy CEO of MotoGP, called Australia “one of MotoGP’s most passionate and important markets” and said the brand was a natural fit for the new event.

“Red Bull has an unrivalled track record in motorsport and shares our ambition to deliver world-class events and unforgettable fan experiences. They are the perfect partner as we build the future of the Australian Grand Prix together.” – Carlos Ezpeleta, Deputy CEO, MotoGP

Ezpeleta also described the inaugural race as “a landmark moment for MotoGP,” adding that the new city circuit is an opportunity to “bring the sport into the heart of the city.”

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, who has been the race’s loudest cheerleader from day one, called the sponsorship “a huge endorsement for this event and a massive coup for South Australia.”

“We’re building something special here, and with Red Bull and MotoGP teaming up, we’re gearing up for an incredible first race in 2027.” – Peter Malinauskas, Premier of South Australia

Red Bull and MotoGP: A Long History

Red Bull didn’t just discover motorcycle racing last week. When Dorna Sports (now MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group) extended its partnership with the brand in 2020, it noted the relationship dated back to 2005, when Red Bull was title sponsor of the U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca. Over the years, Red Bull has been the title sponsor of the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas (where we rode the new Yamaha MT-07 at the Austin MotoGP), and the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez.

Beyond race titles, Red Bull is title sponsor and co-organizer of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, one of the sport’s most successful talent-development programs, and it co-organizes the Austrian Grand Prix with MotoGP at the Red Bull Ring. So when MotoGP says Red Bull supports “the next generation of talent across the sport,” that’s not marketing fluff.

Putting the bull’s name on MotoGP’s first city-center race is a very on-brand move for a company that has never met a spectacle it didn’t want to sponsor.

Farewell, Phillip Island

We can’t talk about Adelaide without tipping our helmets to the place it replaces. The 2026 Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, held October 23-25, 2026, is billed by event organizers as the 30th and final MotoGP race at the seaside Victorian circuit. Phillip Island first hosted the world championship in 1989 and has been the race’s home since 1997, apart from the pandemic-cancelled 2020 and 2021 seasons.

For a lot of riders and fans, Phillip Island is the most beautiful racetrack on Earth, with its sweeping fast corners, cliffside views of Bass Strait, and seagulls that occasionally get a closer look at a MotoGP bike than they bargained for. Adelaide has big boots to fill. A Red Bull title sponsorship and a festival-style city event is a strong way to start trying.

What It Means for Fans

For fans, the biggest change is accessibility. Instead of a trek to the coast, the Australian Grand Prix will be held in the heart of one of the country’s leading event destinations, surrounded by hotels, restaurants and the infrastructure Adelaide has built for events like the bp Adelaide Grand Final for Supercars. MotoGP and South Australia are clearly betting that combining world-class racing with a city festival atmosphere will pull in new fans who may never have trekked to Phillip Island.

Ticket details, schedules and the full support-race program for the 2027 event haven’t been announced yet. When they are, you’ll find them here at Moto-1.

The Bottom Line

Red Bull becoming title sponsor of the Australian Grand Prix gives MotoGP’s riskiest new venue a heavyweight partner right out of the gate. Adelaide brings history, a festival-style city setting and a penultimate-round slot where championships can be won or lost. Phillip Island will be missed, but if MotoGP and South Australia deliver on their promises, the Red Bull Grand Prix of Australia could become one of the sport’s signature events. I’ll be watching. Probably with a can of something caffeinated.

Related Moto-1 Reading

• Yee-Haw! Riding the New Yamaha MT-07 at the Austin MotoGP: Our trip to a Red Bull-backed Grand Prix
• Speed Addicts Podcast: MotoGP Fever: Grand Prix talk, gear and tires
• MotoGP Flex: Getting a Custom Dainese Race Suit in SoCal: Dressing like a factory rider

Red Bull Grand Prix of Australia FAQ

Who is the title sponsor of the 2027 MotoGP Australian Grand Prix?

Red Bull. Under a new multi-year deal, the event will be called the Red Bull Grand Prix of Australia in 2027 and 2028.

When is the first MotoGP race in Adelaide?

The inaugural Red Bull Grand Prix of Australia takes place November 12-14, 2027, as Round 21 of 22 on the provisional 2027 MotoGP calendar.

How long is the Adelaide MotoGP circuit?

The Adelaide Street Circuit measures 4.13 km (about 2.57 miles) and has 15 corners, including Stag Corner, Rundle Road, Brewery Bend and Dequetteville Terrace.

Is MotoGP still racing at Phillip Island?

The October 23-25, 2026 Australian Grand Prix is billed as the final MotoGP race at Phillip Island. The race moves to Adelaide from 2027.

How long will MotoGP race in Adelaide?

MotoGP’s agreement with South Australia runs through 2032 inclusive. Red Bull’s title sponsorship currently covers 2027 and 2028.