Leaked letter reveals high-level plea to global motorcycle boss over park lands
Four professors including a top SA legal figure have directly appealed to the international motorcycle federation boss calling for an intervention over MotoGP. Meanwhile, numbers in a petition against park lands developments have surged.
Top academics, ecologists and city park lands supporters have sent an official letter to the President of the Fédération Internationale de Motorcyclisme (FIM) calling on the governing body to intervene in the development of a new city circuit for the 2027 Adelaide MotoGP.
The letter – seen by InDaily, was led by South East City Residents Association (SECRA) treasurer Doug McEvoy and was addressed to FIM president Jorge Viegas.
It urged the FIM to conduct its own independent Environmental Impact Assessment of the proposed circuit and related infrastructure before engaging further with the South Australian government.
Other signatories included ecologist Ben Taylor, Nature Conservation Society of South Australia Professor Patrick O’Connor AM, prominent legal historian Emeritus Professor Wilfrid Prest, SECRA member Professor Alex Reilly, Butterfly Conservation SA chairman Bryan Haywood, BirdSA president Steven Langley and Adelaide Parklands Association president Mat Monti.
Viegas was told of the “strong and growing opposition to locating the MotoGP in Adelaide’s precious green and nature space”, citing the number of signatories to a physical ‘Stop The Chop’ petition which has now reached 30,000 signatures, according to lead petitioner and Adelaide City councillor Patrick Maher.
A separate online petition has reached more 50,000 signatures.
The signatories claimed that “construction of the proposed Adelaide MotoGP infrastructure, and the event itself, is in breach of the FIM Environmental Code 2026 and the FIM Sustainability Policy”.
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This was because construction of the track would “cause damage to natural habitats and species”.
“The level of concern of many South Australians about the environmental impact of the circuit is likely to mean that civil protest action will continue up to and during the MotoGP event should it proceed,” the signatories wrote.
“We submit that this poses a long-term reputational risk for FIM, the MotoGP brand, Liberty Media and the MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group, and a risk to the future of an Adelaide MotoGP under future democratically elected governments.”
A copy of the letter was also sent to Premier Peter Malinauskas, City of Adelaide Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith, Liberal Opposition Leader Ashton Hurn, Leader of the SA Greens Robert Simms and Leader of One Nation SA Cory Bernardi.
InDaily has asked the international federation for comment, while a government spokesperson highlighted the global exposure opportunities of the event and an expected financial boon for the state.
The latest revelation comes alongside news that a group of park lands activists claim to have collected more than 30,000 signatures on a physical petition requesting the state government “immediately halt works on the MotoGP redevelopment”.
The ‘Stop The Chop’ petition was created in response to trees being felled in Possum Park to make way for a redeveloped North Adelaide Golf Course.
It also seeks to establish a Legislative Council Committee review of the North Adelaide Public Golf Course Act 2025, the South Australian Motor Sport Act 1984 and related acts.
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Under SA Parliament rules, a single petition with more than 10,000 physical signatures will be referred to the Legislative Review Committee.
“Given the files that we’ve already handed in and the amount that we’ve got remaining, we’re pretty confident we’re there [at 30,000],” Maher told InDaily today.
“There’s been a lot of commentary online about how it’s just a small group of people [lobbying against the development], and it’s not a big deal. I think this changes the way that people are going to have to look at that.
“It shows the strength of feeling that people have about this issue.”
There have been ongoing concerns about what the tree felling toll would be for 2027’s MotoGP city street circuit in the eastern parklands and Victoria Park, with the state government making initial estimates of 45 trees.
An Adelaide City Council report from June flagged up to 200 trees could be removed to meet track requirements set by the global governing and sanctioning body for motorcycle racing.
The release of the final track design to the public was expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
International MotoGP CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta told shareholders last Thursday in an online investor event that the organisation was looking forward to “unveiling the first visual renderings of the new Adelaide circuit over the next few weeks”.
A state government spokesperson said: “The return of international racing to the Adelaide Street Circuit, announced by the state government prior to the March election, presents a unique opportunity for Adelaide to feature on the world stage.
“In 2025, global exposure combined with tourism and hospitality of MotoGP™ Grand Prix events delivered an average of $217m (€130m) in economic impact to local economies,” he said.
“MotoGP™ is enjoying unprecedented growth around the world, with a global fanbase of more than 630 million people, a record 3.6 million attendees at races in 2025 and TV audiences up 9 per cent over the past year.
“Design work continues, with final plans to be released for public consultation in coming weeks.”
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