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🇦🇺 Australia /Sports

Moving Adelaide’s Ayrton Senna Plaque Signals a New Era for MotoGP

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources New plan
  • Adelaide plans to modify its street circuit for MotoGP, including moving the Senna Chicane and restoring parts of the former Formula One layout.
  • The changes would remove popular Supercars features, while large gravel traps would place spectators farther from the track in some areas.
  • Motorsport Hall of Fame chairman John Smailes described the changes as a transition, and the circuit will be reconfigured again for the Supercars Grand Final.

The proposed relocation of Adelaide’s Ayrton Senna plaque and chicane is being presented as a transition for the city’s famous street circuit, not its farewell to motor racing history.

The South Australian government wants to restore parts of the former Formula One layout for next year’s MotoGP. The plan includes bringing back the 900-metre Brabham Straight along Dequetteville Terrace, moving the Senna Chicane farther into Victoria Park and removing popular Supercars features such as the staircase and its series of 90-degree turns near the central business district.

transition

· John SmailesHe characterized the circuit’s changes as a transition rather than the end of an era.

John Smailes, chairman of the Motorsport Hall of Fame and a longtime motorsport journalist, said the circuit still carries the history created when designer Bob Barnard placed the chicane in Victoria Park in 1985. He described the location as one of Australia’s best racing sites, partly because it sits so close to the city and draws the wider urban area into the event.

It's a new life, a different life for one of the best locations for a motor racing circuit in Australia.

· John SmailesSmailes described the proposed redesign as a new phase for Adelaide’s racing venue.

The Adelaide circuit became shorter after the Formula One race moved to Melbourne in 1996. The 3.2-kilometre layout used for the 1999 Adelaide 500 later became the most attended round of the Supercars Championship, known for difficult corners, bumps and unexpected results. Its close viewing areas have also been a major attraction.

MotoGP safety requirements will change that experience across much of the course. Riders need wide gravel traps to slow safely after a fall, pushing spectators farther back. Smailes said some areas should still let fans feel close to the bikes, describing the force of a 320-kilometre-per-hour machine as like “being hit by a glove from a heavyweight boxer.”

And when you cop the full force of a 320 kilometre-per-hour MotoGP bike pushing the air in front of you, it's like being hit by a glove from a heavyweight boxer. It's amazing.

· John SmailesHe explained the appeal of watching MotoGP bikes close to the track.

The track will be reconfigured again for the Supercars Grand Final, scheduled about 10 days after the MotoGP. Five-time Supercars champion Mark Skaife said the kerbs would remain punishing, the walls would stay inches away and the new Senna Chicane would be unforgiving.

The new Senna Chicane will be unforgiving.

· Mark SkaifeThe five-time Supercars champion described the expected difficulty of the redesigned section.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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