The Portuguese government has dashed all hopes of allowing spectators at the MotoGP and F1 races to be held in April and May at the Algarve International Racetrack, telling Expresso newspaper that no spectators will be allowed at any sports events until the end of May.
The decision is part of the government’s larger deconfinement plan to open up the country “slowly”.
The news comes just a few days after Público newspaper reported that fans looking to be in the stands of either of the races would have to undergo a Covid-19 test (click here). This was one of a series of proposals pitched by organisers and the racetrack to the national health board (DGS) in hopes that the events would be allowed to go ahead in front of fans.
However, the government seems unwilling to bend, perhaps preferring to play it safe after last year’s F1 race was criticised for a lack of social distancing which was detected in some parts of the stands during the F1 GP, spurring a wave of controversy which resulted in no fans being allowed to attend the MotoGP race just a few weeks later.
