In July, Formula 1 is set to host its first races with full attendance since the start of the pandemic, Formula E heads to two of the world’s most iconic cities and WEC will race at Monza for the first time. Here are the motorsport events to look forward to this month!
WorldSBK, UK Round, July 2-4
There’s no MotoGP action this month, with the series holding its annual summer break. Nevertheless, there is two-wheel action to look forward to as the Superbike World Championship heads to Donington Park for its UK round. The very first round of the Superbike World Championship was held at Donington Park in 1988. 6-time champion Jonathan Rea leads the standings after the first three race weekends in 2021.
Formula 1, Austrian Grand Prix, July 3-5
Formula 1 is back at the Red Bull Ring for a second consecutive race at the Austrian venue. The 2021 Austrian Grand Prix offers Max Verstappen the opportunity to become the first driver to win three Formula 1 races in the space of three weeks. The Red Bull driver dominated the Styrian Grand Prix at his team’s home race. While around 15,000 fans were in attendance for the Styrian Grand Prix, the Austrian Grand Prix is expected to have a much larger crowd – the biggest since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Formula E, New York E-Prix, July 10-11
The New York E-Prix is the next event on the Formula E calendar, with a double header of races on July 10 and 11. The Brooklyn Street Circuit last hosted the all-electric series in 2019, when Sébastien Buemi and Robin Frijns took victory in the pair of races. There are six races remaining in the 2021 Formula E season. Following his victory in Mexico, Edoardo Mortara has the championship lead, and sits ten points ahead of Frijns.
Goodwood Festival of Speed, July 8-11
The Goodwood Festival of Speed returns in 2021. The event’s theme this year is ‘The Maestros – Motorsport’s Great All-Rounders’. The four-day festival will feature drivers, teams and manufacturers who have succeeded across a variety of motorsport disciplines. This year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed is being run as part of the British government’s Events Research Programme. You can read more on the protocols for the event here.
Formula 1, British Grand Prix, July 16-18
There are two Formula 1 races this month, with the sport heading to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix. The event will see F1 use its new Sprint Qualifying format for the first time. While the traditional qualifying hour will be held on Friday evening, a 30-minute sprint race on Saturday afternoon will determine the grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton will be hoping to win an eighth F1 race in front of his home crowd – with 140,000 fans expected on race day – but he’ll face tough competition from Red Bull and Max Verstappen, who won the most recent Silverstone race.
WEC, 6 Hours of Monza, July 16-18
Monza will play host to the World Endurance Championship for the first time later this month, with the 6 Hours of Monza scheduled to take place on July 18. A limited number of fans will be in attendance at the event. Toyota Gazoo Racing’s #8 car, driven by Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Kazuki Nakajima, has won the opening two races of the 2021 World Endurance Championship. The 6 Hours of Monza is the third event on this year’s 6-race calendar.
WorldSBK, Dutch Round, July 23-25
The Superbike World Championship heads to TT Circuit Assen for its Dutch round in late July. Spanish rider Álvaro Bautista dominated proceedings when the series last raced in the Netherlands in 2019. The last WorldSBK meeting at the circuit was curtailed by bad weather – Saturday’s action was postponed due to snow!
Formula E, London E-Prix, July 24-25
Formula E finally returns to London this month for the first time since 2016. Battersea Park hosted the London E-Prix in 2015 and 2016, but the ExCeL centre – on the Royal Victoria Dock – is the event’s new home. The race was first announced back in March 2019, but the coronavirus pandemic – during which the ExCeL was utilised as an NHS hospital – meant that the event was unable to take place last year.
Formula 1, Hungarian Grand Prix, July 30-August 1
The end of the month sees Formula 1 head to Budapest for the Hungarian Grand Prix. The technical track will offer a different challenge to the drivers than the high speed Red Bull Ring and Silverstone tracks. Lewis Hamilton has won four of the last five Hungarian Grands Prix. Another win at the Hungaroring in 2021 for Hamilton would see him become the first driver to win a single Grand Prix on nine occasions. The Hungarian race is expected to go ahead with a full crowd.