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Interview - Bob Barnard is Barely Bothered

September 6, 2026 · 1 h 2 min

Show notes

Sadly, we've lost Philip Island. So now what’s going to take us back to Australia?

Well, welcome to the Adelaide Street Circuit. It’s 4,13 km (2,57 miles) long, has 15 turns and might run straight through some very special parkland.

It’s also, thanks to reasons not completely unrelated to the above, rather controversial.

Having seen the virtual rendition, Mat and Peter are wary. Don’t get us wrong, it seems like a lovely idea to make a street track. But should it really be in the middle of a park? Regardless, it’s happening next year so we might as well see if it’s any good for racing. And in order to do that, we decided to call an old friend of the show.

His name is Bob Barnard, and he makes racetracks for a living. Racetracks like Philip Island. For some reason, he doesn’t seem to be the Adelaide Street Circuit’s biggest fan.

If you haven’t heard our previous interview with Bob, I can recommend giving it a listen. He’s got some great stories and he knows how to tell them. He’s also got a mind like nobody else when it comes to the complexities of track design, as he shows us this week how many factors enter into the nightmare of complexities that is a racing track.

So come join us as we ask Bob to take us on a tour from the right shapes of gravel to actual riot control. Let’s go!

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Want more? Visit our website or support us on Patreon. With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman's Dub Club for writing our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music!

Oh, and a quick word in regards to sponsors:
If you’re interested in connecting with a really unique MotoGP audience — we’re working with Smash Brand Group out of Sydney to manage partnerships. Curious? Just head to smashbrandgroup.com.au and get in touch!

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