Czech MotoGP race to be run without fans in August

2019 MotoGP action at Brno

The Czech Grand Prix, will take place without fans this year in Brno due to concerns around the COVID-19 pandemic, regional government officials said on Friday.

The race at the Automotodrom Brno in the country’s second largest city will take place Aug. 9. The weekend event drew 186,000 fans last year.

MotoGP will resume the 2020 season stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic with back-to-back races at the Jerez circuit in Spain on July 19 and 26. It then heads to Austria after the race in Brno.

The Czech Republic has experienced fewer cases of the novel coronavirus than western Europe, reporting a total of 12,178 cases, with 7,822 people recovering, as of Thursday.