Several MotoGP riders think other race organisers should take a cue from the party atmosphere created by the organisers at Spielberg
The MotoGP race in Spielberg just over a week ago may not have been the most spectacular or exciting. But that did not dampen the mood at the Red Bull Ring. Even the drivers praised the party atmosphere and wished it was similar at other tracks.
So MotoGP World Champion and Spielberg double winner Francesco Bagnaia said: “I think you can feel when more people see us. It’s something incredible when you finish the race, you’ve done a good job and you look at the grandstand and there are so many people there, happy and cheering us all on.”
The Austrian Grand Prix is one of the better attended events, with a total of 173,013 spectators over the weekend – including 93,519 on Sunday.
In MotoGP, the Red Bull Ring has established itself as a fixture since 2016, hosting a Grand Prix every year and even double events in the Corona era. The event has become a firm fan favourite.
Bagnaia praises party atmosphere at the track
“That makes a difference,” Bagnaia knows. “We can put on the best show possible, but I think the tracks have to improve as well.” For that, he says Austria can serve as a shining example, “because for the people it was a party”.
“The music was so loud. You could hear the DJ all around the track and for me it was nice to see that the music was still playing all night, 7pm, 8pm. When we entered the fan stage outside the track, there was a big place with a lot of people celebrating. That’s great and I think that’s something all circuits need to improve,” said Bagnaia.
The weekend at Spielberg saw a number of initiatives to make the experience more appealing for fans – including live music and the traditional Red Bull air show. This is in line with a push by Dorna to make the events more fan-friendly – with rider parades, the rider fan park and autograph sessions.
Spielberg an example for other Grands Prix
So KTM’s Brad Binder also found the atmosphere at the Red Bull Ring special: “For me it’s always amazing when the grandstands are full, and for us it’s even more special when they’re orange.” Because KTM has home game at Spielberg.
“But I have to say that the organisers of this Grands Prix have done an insane job. I think not only the whole weekend, but also when we were on the grid there was music everywhere and the podium was one of the coolest I’ve ever seen,” enthused Binder.
“They made it super cool for everyone. Hats off to them, and I think it’s a lesson for many other Grands Prix,” he also admonishes other venues.
Besides Spielberg, the race weekends at Le Mans, Sachsenring and Assen had strong attendance figures this MotoGP season. Other events, on the other hand, fell significantly, such as the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
It attracted 115,959 fans over three days, but only 48,564 on Sunday. Still, it was a slight increase on the 2022 figures as Silverstone has tried to create a festival-style event for MotoGP fans, which this year included live music acts throughout the weekend.
