Austria MotoGP races to be open to full capacity crowds
MotoGP has announced its two rounds at the Red Bull Ring will be open to full capacity crowds following a relaxation of spectator restrictions in Austria.
A second race at the Red Bull Ring was added to the 2021 MotoGP calendar last month following the cancellation of the Finnish Grand Prix at the new KymiRing circuit.
The Styrian Grand Prix was added as a replacement for 6-8 August, running one week before the Austrian Grand Prix to create a double-header in Spielberg.
In a statement issued on Thursday morning, MotoGP promoter Dorna Sports announced that both Austria races would be open to full fan attendance.
Fans will be able to attend the races if they have been vaccinated, tested or have previously had COVID-19 and since recovered.
“Dorna Sports is delighted to confirm that both the Michelin Grand Prix of Styria and the Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich will welcome fans back to the grandstands in 2021,” the statement reads.
“Spectator restrictions are being lifted at sporting events in Austria this summer, and the gates of the Red Bull Ring will therefore be open to MotoGP fans who are either vaccinated, tested or recovered from COVID-19.
“Fans will be able to attend the emblematic Spielberg venue at full capacity for both the Styrian and Austrian GPs.”
A 20 percent capacity crowd was permitted for the Catalan GP
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
The statement added that the MotoGP paddock will “continue to operate as a separate COVID-19 safe bubble at both events” in line with operational guidelines.
The Austria races will be the first MotoGP events to run to full attendance since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with races having been staged either behind closed doors or with minimal fan allowances. Last weekend’s Catalan Grand Prix in Barcelona went ahead at 20% capacity.
It remains unconfirmed what attendance will be permitted for the upcoming Formula 1 races at the Red Bull Ring, which will also host a double-header on 25-27 June and 2-4 July.
Red Bull F1 advisor Helmut Marko told Autosport/Motorsport.com's sister publication Formel1.de last month that a crowd of 39,000 was being targeted, although this was in line with the previous restrictions.
Related video
Espargaro says Honda MotoGP troubles mirror early KTM years
2021 MotoGP German GP – how to watch, session times & more
2022 MotoGP title fight now “very tight”, says Aleix Espargaro
Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro believes the current MotoGP championship picture following the British Grand Prix has set up “a very, very tight” title battle.
Pol Espargaro doesn’t think Honda is reacting to MotoGP woes
Pol Espargaro isn’t sure the problems Honda is facing at races in MotoGP this season are being relayed back to Japan as “we’re not getting the material we need”.
Marc Marquez to return to MotoGP paddock at Austrian GP for Honda progress update
Marc Marquez will return to the MotoGP paddock at the Austrian Grand Prix to check up on Honda’s progress as he continues his own rehabilitation.
Rins “destroyed” after “not normal” grip issues end Silverstone MotoGP win hopes
Suzuki’s Alex Rins says he was “destroyed” after a “not normal” drop in grip shuffled him from the lead of the MotoGP British Grand Prix to seventh by the end.
The signs Quartararo’s 2022 MotoGP title is slipping away from him
Prior to the summer break, the 2022 MotoGP title looked like it was Fabio Quartararo’s to lose. But a crash at Assen and the consequential penalty he had to serve last weekend at Silverstone stopped him from capitalising on a main rival’s injury woes, while a resurgence from another, plus the rise of a former team-mate, look set to conspire against the Yamaha rider
Why Marquez’s toughest MotoGP foe is stopping at the right time
On the eve of the British Grand Prix, Andrea Dovizioso announced that he will be retiring from MotoGP after September’s San Marino GP. The timing of his departure raised eyebrows, but his reasoning remains sensible and what has happened this year should not diminish a hard-built legacy
Why a Suzuki refugee feels he deserves MotoGP's toughest challenge
Alex Rins’ MotoGP future was plunged into sudden doubt when Suzuki elected to quit the series at the end of 2022. Securing a deal with Honda to join LCR, he will now tread a path that many have fallen off from. But it was a move he felt his status deserved, and it’s a challenge – he tells Autosport - he faces with his eyes wide open…
How Formula 1 has driven MotoGP's changing nature
The hiring of technicians from Formula 1 has clearly contributed to a recent change in the MotoGP landscape, with the role of engineers gaining greater significance relative to the riders. Here's how this shift has come about
The revolution behind Aprilia's rise from MotoGP tail-ender to pack-leader
Coinciding with the arrival of Massimo Rivola as head of its MotoGP division, Aprilia has undergone an internal revolution that has spurred it from occupying last place in the team standings to leading the table in the space of just two years. Those entrenched in the project reveal how the ex-Ferrari F1 chief has achieved the dramatic turnaround
The battle Yamaha's wayward son is fighting to be fast again in MotoGP
Franco Morbidelli was long overdue a promotion to factory machinery when it finally came late last year, having finished runner-up in the 2020 standings on an old Yamaha package. But since then the Italian has been a shadow of his former self as he toils to adapt to the 2022 M1, and recognises that he needs to change his style to be quick on it
Why Honda and Yamaha have been left behind in MotoGP's new era
The once all-conquering Japanese manufacturers are going through a difficult period in MotoGP this season. With Suzuki quitting, Honda struggling to get near the podium and Yamaha only enjoying success courtesy of Fabio Quartararo, Japanese manufacturers have been left in the dust by their European counterparts. Key paddock figures explain why.
Who is Valentino Rossi’s newest MotoGP star?
Valentino Rossi’s protégés stole the show at Assen as Francesco Bagnaia stormed to victory to arrest a recent barren run. But it was the rider in second, on Bagnaia’s old bike, who had all eyes on him. Securing his and the VR46 team’s first MotoGP podium, Marco Bezzecchi has all the characteristics that made his mentor special