Formula 1’s upcoming Portuguese Grand Prix will be held without spectators owing to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions in the country.
The championship returned to Portugal in 2020 after a 24-year absence as part of the pandemic-hit calendar and did so for the first time at Portimao.
Its inclusion was initially as a one-off but Portimao secured a spot on a revised 2021 calendar, moving to the third round of the season.
Last year’s event, which took place in late October, was one of the few 2020 grands prix to welcome fans trackside.
But the 2021 grand prix will take place next weekend (April 30 – May 2) behind closed doors.
A limited number of local fans, who had either received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine or had recovered from the virus, were permitted to attend Formula 1’s opening round in Bahrain.
The most recent event at Imola was held behind closed doors and the situation will be replicated for upcoming rounds in Barcelona (May 7 – 9) and Baku (June 4 – 6).
Organisers in Monaco are expecting to welcome a limited number of local spectators for its Formula 1 grand prix (May 20 – 23).
Motorsport returned to the Principality on Friday for the first time since May 2019 with action getting underway at the Historic Grand Prix.
