It’s happening again – and this time, hopefully, with people in the stands. The Algarve International Racetrack in Portimão will host its second MotoGP race of the year between November 5 and 7 following the cancellation of Australia’s GP.
The announcement was made this morning by Dorna Sports, MotoGP’s commercial rights holder.
The Portimão racetrack hosted its first MotoGP race last year, hosting the season finale as part of a reshuffled scheduled due to the pandemic. The race, which went ahead behind closed doors, was won by Portugal’s very own star pilot Miguel Oliveira.
The championship returned to the Algarve in April but was once again held without fans in the stands. Oliveira was unable to repeat his feat due to a lap six crash, with victory going to Frenchman Fabio Quartararo.
Hopes are that this time Miguel Oliveira will finally have the fans from his own country cheering him on from the stands.
“We’re expecting a full house,” Algarve tourism boss João Fernandes told Rádio Observador.
“It will happen at the best possible time and will certainly generate great demand and hopefully at that time we will be able to host an event with a full house. It will also be the first time we will be able to welcome our great pilot Miguel Oliveira,” he said.
Stressing that the two previous MotoGP races held at the racetrack were praised for the way they were organised, Fernandes said that it will be a “calling card” for the Algarve.
“The GP is even called the Algarve GP,” the tourism chief stated.
The news has also been celebrated by Jorge Viegas, the Portuguese president of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM).
“I’m very, very happy to have the MotoGP visit Portugal once again, which shows the confidence that Dorna and FIM have in the national organisational capacity,” he told Lusa news agency.
“Not only is it the penultimate race of the championship, meaning it can be decisive for the title, but I am also convinced that we will have a full house to applaud Miguel Oliveira and all the other protagonists,” Viegas added.
