2021 24 HOURS MOTOS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
In view of the health crisis, and in order to maintain all the races on the 2021 FIM EWC calendar, the 44th edition of the 24 Hours Motos will be held behind closed doors on 17 and 18 April.
As with the 2020 edition, the 2021 24 Hours Motos scheduled for 17 and 18 April on the Bugatti circuit at Le Mans will be held without spectators in attendance.
Race organizer Automobile Club de l’Ouest, the FIM (International Motorcycling Federation) and FIM EWC promoter Eurosport Events have taken this difficult decision in order to ensure that all five races on the 2021 calendar are maintained, and to support the teams competing in the FIM Endurance World Championship.
Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest
“Regrettably, we shall have to organise the 24 Hours Motos behind closed doors for the second year running. Firstly, my thoughts go out to the fans of the race who will again miss out on the trackside experience. Despite the absence of spectators, the race will go ahead for the sake of the competitors and their sponsors. We sincerely hope that we shall be able to share these great moments in sport together again very soon.”
Jorge Viegas, President of the FIM (International Motorcycling Federation)
“Despite a second year without spectators, I am sure that the edition of the 24 Hours Motos 2021 will be breathtaking. I would like to thank the ACO, the FFM and Eurosport Events for their efforts to offer once again a fantastic show on TV and Digital platforms to the many viewers.”
Sébastien Poirier, President of the FFM (French Motorcycling Federation)
“It’s obviously heart-breaking to have to stage the 24 Hours Motos once again behind closed doors and deprive the many fans of an event that is a mecca for the biker community. For organisational reasons, the decision had to be taken now by the ACO and it is one that we share. I wish to pay tribute to the work done by the ACO, the promoter Eurosport Events, and the FIM to ensure that the race has not disappeared from the calendar altogether. Like many fans, we shall follow and share our passion for the race on the various TV and digital media outlets.”
François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport Events
“It was painful to take the closed doors decision together with the ACO, but we took it quickly for the good of the championship and the teams. The ACO was the first circuit to organize a race behind closed doors in 2020 and, together with the ACO, we decided it was better to keep the April date for the 24 Hours Motos so as not to disrupt the rest of the calendar, which will also be held behind closed doors if the Covid-19 situation calls for it.”
