While Formula 1 heads into its summer break and MotoGP starts the second half of its season, the highlight of the endurance racing calendar takes place and the latest Formula E champion is set to be crowned. Here are the motorsport events to look forward to this month!
MotoGP, Austria, August 8 and August 15
MotoGP returns from its summer break to commence the second half of the 2021 season. The Red Bull Ring will be host to two races in August – the Styrian Grand Prix on August 8 and the Austrian Grand Prix on August 15. The good news is that both races will be open to fans, with full capacity crowds expected.
Fabio Quartararo heads to Austria with a 34 point advantage in the championship. Andrea Dovizioso, who is on a sabbatical in 2021, has won three of the last five MotoGP races at the Red Bull Ring. Who will get their second half of the season off to the best possible start?
Formula E, Berlin E-Prix, August 14-15
The Formula E season finale takes place in Berlin on August 14-15. There will be two races over the Berlin E-Prix weekend on the Tempelhof Airport Street Circuit. Last year, Berlin hosted six races on varying layouts of the track as Formula E made up for its races which were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. António Félix da Costa was crowned champion in Berlin last season.
Da Costa is very much in contention for the championship win again in 2021, sitting fifth in the standings, fifteen points away from championship leader Nyck de Vries. With 58 points available over the Berlin E-Prix weekend, eighteen drivers still have a mathematical chance of claiming the title. You can expect the usual level of drama and unpredictability at the final races of the season!
WEC, 24 Hours of Le Mans, August 21-22
The highlight of the endurance racing calendar takes place in August, with the 24 Hours of Le Mans beginning on August 21. This year’s iconic event was moved from its traditional June slot to August in order to allow fans to attend.
50 World Endurance Championship points are on offer for the winners of the 24 hour race. Toyota Gazoo Racing have dominated the Hypercar class so far in 2021. While the number 8 car was victorious in the opening two races of the year, the number 7 car – piloted by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López – won the 6 Hours of Monza. Will 2021 mark the Japanese manufacturer’s fourth consecutive Le Mans win?
Formula 1, Belgian Grand Prix, August 27-29
Formula 1’s summer break ends with a return to racing at Spa Francorchamps. Embroiled in what seems likely to be a season-long battle, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will recommence their fight for the 2021 Drivers’ Championship at the legendary Belgian Grand Prix circuit.
Hamilton led home a Mercedes 1-2 in last year’s Belgian Grand Prix on his way to a seventh championship win. While last year’s event took place behind closed doors, up to 75,000 spectators per day are expected over the 2021 race weekend.
MotoGP, Britain, August 27-29
There are three MotoGP races in August, with the third event – the British Grand Prix – taking place on the final weekend of the month. There has been only one MotoGP race at Silverstone in the past three years. While the 2020 event was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2018 running of the race was cancelled due to poor weather conditions. The 2019 race came to a very close conclusion, with Álex Rins taking victory by just 0.013 seconds over fellow Spaniard Marc Márquez!