Sao Paulo (AFP)

Authorities in Sao Paulo announced on Monday that the Interlagos Formula 1 Grand Prix, scheduled for November 5-7, would take place without audience restrictions.

With nearly 60,000 seats on sale, this could be the first sporting event without capacity limitation in the Brazilian metropolis since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, which hit Brazil head-on.

The return of the public to football stadiums must be reauthorized on November 1, but no match is currently scheduled before the 7.

Last season, the GP had been canceled altogether, like others, in a schedule disrupted by the pandemic.

"All the access points will be controlled, and beyond that we have the vaccination. The pace is fast and a large part of the public will be vaccinated with two injections", said at a press conference Jean Gorinchteyn, head of Health of the State of Sao Paulo.

Access to the circuit will be subject to the presentation of a negative test for Covid-19 of less than 48 hours and the wearing of the mask will be mandatory, added the official.

In the state of Sao Paulo, 32.3 million people, or 91.6% of adults in the country's most populous state, have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, official figures show .

State authorities will also ask F1 to study the possibility of a one week postponement of the GP, in order to make it coincide with the long weekend of November 15, a public holiday in Brazil, announced. the governor of the state, Joao Doria.

The GP, 20th stage out of 23 of the 2021 World Championship, will also be the third to enter a qualifying sprint race, after Silverstone (Great Britain) in early August and Monza (Italy) in September.

© 2021 AFP