Formula 1 has confirmed that the Portuguese Grand Prix will return this season on 2 May, as part of the record breaking 23-race 2021 championship.

Last October, Portimao joined the F1 calendar for the first time when the sport returned to Portugal after 25 years.

The race saw Lewis Hamilton take the top step of the podium alongside Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen.

"We have been working closely with the promoter and the Portuguese Government regarding fan attendance this season," said Formula One Management (FOM) in a statement this morning. "Our first priority is the safety of our personnel and the communities we visit, and we proved last season that we can race safely in the wake of the pandemic. We expect a decision on fans to be taken by the authorities in the coming weeks and will provide further updates on this as soon as we know more.

"We are thrilled to announce that Formula 1 will be racing again in Portimao after the huge success of the race last year," said F1 boss, Stefano Domenicali. "We want to thank the promoter and the Portuguese Government for their hard work and dedication in getting us to this point.

"We are confident and excited about our 2021 season, having shown last year that we could deliver 17 races safely and bring our millions of fans thrilling racing at a difficult time. We hope to welcome fans to Portimao again this season in a safe way and are working with the promoter on the details of that plan."

"Holding major events in our country is very important for the image and international promotion of Portugal as a tourist destination," added Rita Marques, Portugal's Secretary of State of Tourism, "and so it is with great interest that we see the return of Formula 1 to the Algarve in 2021.

"I want to thank the FIA and F1 for its confidence in Portugal, the Algarve and the Algarve International Racetrack by choosing our country to host a stage of the F1 calendar, and to express our full commitment to make it a big success."