MotoGP Spectators: Germany top, Italy drop, 2.4 million total

After two seasons of Covid protocols, spectator restrictions were eased for the 2022 MotoGP World Championship.
Jack Miller, German MotoGP race, 19 June
Jack Miller, German MotoGP race, 19 June

Official MotoGP figures credit a total of 2,427,928 trackside fans over 19 of the 20 rounds (COTA did not provide attendance figures), with a peak of 232,002 for the German Grand Prix at Sachsenring and a low of 17,972 fans in Qatar.

The weekend figures are calculated by adding the Friday, Saturday and Sunday attendance, meaning spectators present for more than one day are counted twice or three times.

Race day attendance avoids that issue, topped by Le Mans (110,103) and Assen (104,244), but the biggest races might have been even higher without hitting their ‘sold out’ cap.

While the behind-closed-door races and low spectator limits of 2020 and some 2021 events were removed, some of the grands prix that traditionally attract international fans remained disadvantaged by visa restrictions and high flight prices in 2022.

The first season since Valentino Rossi's retirement also saw eight-time world champion Marc Marquez miss seven events due to injuries.

On the other hand, some circuits allowed fans to redeem tickets purchased (but unused) for the previous two seasons.

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2022 MotoGP spectator attendance
EventFriSatSunTotal
Losail, Qatar5,6275,6906,65517,972
Mandalika, Indonesia9,85730,02162,923102,801
Termas, Argentina56,00863,65967,092186,759
COTA, USAN/AN/AN/AN/A
Portimao, Portugal14,79717,45343,65075,900
Jerez, Spain19,97244,99758,132123,101
Le Mans, France49,99265,005110,003225,000
Mugello, Italy10,81519,60243,66174,078
Catalunya, Spain16,13238,37460,068114,574
Sachsenring, Germany50,78686,20295,214232,202
Assen, Netherlands23,57430,480104,244158,298
Silverstone, Great Britain26,50132,89741,002100,400
Red Bull Ring, Austria30,26245,55392,035167,850
Misano, Italy18,85925,30056,981101,140
Aragon, Spain19,32229,63537,84686,803
Motegi, Japan8,64816,68232,15257,482
Buriram, Thailand55,79845,80976,856178,463
Phillip Island, Australia20,15030,81140,19791,158
Sepang, Malaysia21,01553,93788,615163,567
Valencia, Spain16,37461,84092,166170,380

 

Fabio Quartararo, French MotoGP, 14 May
Fabio Quartararo, French MotoGP, 14 May

2022 vs 2019

Of the 17 circuits present during both the pre-Covid 2019 season and 2022, 13 experienced a drop in spectator numbers this season, with Mugello plummeting by 65,251 weekend fans and the other Italian event at Misano by a similar 57,160.

Meanwhile, the four circuits that boosted attendance relative to 2019 were headed by Sachsenring (+31,040), followed by Le Mans, Phillip Island and Termas de Rio Hondo.

MotoGP Spectator comparison 2019 vs 2022
 20192022Diff.
Losail, Qatar32,25217,972-14,280
Mandalika, IndonesiaN/A102,801N/A
Termas, Argentina179,551186,759+7,208
COTA, USA120,545N/AN/A
Portimao, PortugalN/A75,900N/A
Jerez, Spain151,513123,101-28,412
Le Mans, France206,323225,000+18,677
Mugello, Italy139,32974,078-65,251
Catalunya, Spain157,827114,574-43,253
Sachsenring, Germany201,162232,202+31,040
Assen, Netherlands167,500158,298-9,202
Silverstone, Great Britain114,607100,400-14,207
Red Bull Ring, Austria197,315167,850-29,465
Misano, Italy158,300101,140-57,160
Aragon, Spain104,39086,803-17,587
Motegi, Japan88,59757,482-31,115
Buriram, Thailand226,655178,463-48,192
Phillip Island, Australia82,85091,158+8,308
Sepang, Malaysia170,778163,567-7,211
Valencia, Spain176,826170,380-6,446

 

Rossi Fans, 2007 MotoGP World
Rossi Fans, 2007 MotoGP World

How does 2022 compare to previous MotoGP seasons?

This year’s figure of 2,427,928 (without COTA) puts total MotoGP attendance at a similar level to the 2013 and 2014 seasons, having peaked at 2,884,242 in 2018.

Averaging the season attendance by the number of events, gives MotoGP 2022 a figure of 127.786 per round (19, minus COTA), equating to 2006-2007 levels. The highest attendance average since 2006, when attendance data was published, is 150,962 during the 2015 season.

2023 will see the biggest-ever MotoGP calendar of 21-rounds plus the introduction of Sprint races, aimed at boosting the Saturday trackside attendance.

MotoGP Spectator attendance by Year (2006-2022)
YearRacesSeason TotalAverage per event
2006172,139,413125,848
2007182,322,914129,051
2008182,416,210134,234
2009172,282,984134,293
2010182,342,830130,157
2011182,369,949131,664
2012182,217,555123,198
2013182,433,763135,209
2014182,473,624137,424
2015182,717,314150,962
2016182,676,632148,702
2017182,665,806148,100
2018192,884,242151,802
2019182,686,287149,238
202014*Covid-
202118746,401**-
2022202,427,928127,786***

* 15 for Moto2/Moto3, which raced in Qatar.

** COTA not available. Six events were held without any spectators and others took place with minimal attendance allowed due to Covid restrictions.

*** Average calculated over 19 rounds due to lack of data for COTA.

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