The Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix will be contested on Sunday 23 May with 7,500 spectators, a gauge that contrasts with the French limit of 1,000 spectators for outdoor establishments.

Other events will be able to welcome the public in the coming weeks.

The Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix, the prestigious event of the season, will be held on May 23 with 7,500 spectators who will have to undergo PCR tests for the coronavirus, the Principality's government announced on Tuesday.

This is a fairly exceptional gauge in the health context, while in France outdoor sports establishments will be able to reconnect with the public on May 19, but with a gauge strictly limited to 1,000 spectators.

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"It is at the same time important that it be held with a minimum participation of the public and in incontestable sanitary conditions", underlined the Minister of State Pierre Dartout.

Canceled last year, the Monaco F1 Grand Prix has sold "already 4,000 tickets", said Christian Tornatore, commissioner general of the Automobile Club de Monaco, who is counting on the coming of neighboring Italians for this event. ordinary popular with the British.

These "7,500 tickets correspond to one in three places in order to allow distancing," he said.

No fan zone

In practice, on Thursday 20, Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 May, there will be no restriction on the origin of the public, who will have to present a PCR test at the border and to enter the enclosure of the circuit. Residents, employees of the Principality and Monegasques are exempt from testing. The Grand Prix gauge will however be limited to 7,500 spectators (and only 3,000 on Friday 21 to spare the organization). There will be no fan zone or standing stand, and the most delicate point will be the return of spectators after the events to avoid crowds.

Globally, it will be the first grand prix of the 2021 season to be held with so many audiences, while F1 has been evolving under a bubble since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2020, the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Tuscany was the first of the season to gather audiences, from September 11 to 13, with nearly 3,000 spectators per day.

In a season of 17 Grand Prix organized mostly behind closed doors, other events in the fall were able to welcome more audiences, in Russia, Germany or Portugal, where around 25,000 spectators were present.

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45,000 people in Le Castellet

In 2021, a few spectators vaccinated or cured of Covid-19 were present for the inaugural round in Bahrain on March 28.

The GP of Emilia-Romagna, in Italy, and that of Portugal were held behind closed doors while the GP of Spain, on the Catalonia-Barcelona circuit, is due to welcome 1,000 people on Sunday.

What about the French Grand Prix at the end of June?

While the government has announced its deconfinement schedule, Éric Boullier, general manager of the events planned at Le Castellet, announced to Europe 1 that it will undoubtedly be the first big event with so many public organized on the national territory.

No less than 45,000 spectators are expected over the entire weekend, with free practice on Friday, qualifying on Saturday and the Grand Prix on Sunday on the Var circuit.

The 15,000 people per day will be spread over three zones of 5,000 people.

10,000 spectators at Twickenham

By comparison, up to 9,500 spectators will be able to attend the Europa League final in Gdansk on May 26, after Polish authorities have allowed 25% of the public, UEFA announced on Monday with the opening of ticket sales. On May 21 and 22, a maximum of 10,000 spectators will be allowed for the two European Rugby Cup finals at London's Twickenham Stadium.