Director Zandvoort: 'If it were up to us we'd organise this for the next 20 years'
F1 News
- GPblog.com
It took a while but finally it is here: The Dutch Grand Prix will start this weekend. A year's postponement and a lot of uncertainty due to corona threw a spanner in the works, but the race can finally take place.
In an interview with the Dutch website De Telegraaf Sporting Director Jan Lammers and Track Director Robert van Overdijk explain how they experienced the past period. "It has been a very double trip. I'm impressed by what's been achieved here, thanks to a great example of entrepreneurship. And of course, as a citizen of Zandvoort, I am also very proud. When I arrived at the circuit early in the morning, it was really amazing to see what was happening. In the end I am also very happy that the race can take place, unfortunately not yet with more than 100,000 fans. I'll reserve the real 'happy feeling' for the Monday after the race", Lammers begins.
Zandvoort also popular abroad
The hype for Zandvoort is not only great in the Netherlands, the circuit also seems to be popular abroad, says Lammers. "I visit the foreign karting tracks a lot with my son. Then you run into many well-known (former) racing drivers. I notice that Zandvoort is very popular. You have to remember that many people in Formula 1 have been here for years. They all have great memories of this circuit. It is a very dynamic, colourful Grand Prix. And Amsterdam is also nearby. I sometimes say jokingly: this is the Las Vegas of Europe. Well, those guys will go for that..."
Twenty years to go
When will Van Overdijk be satisfied with this edition? "Then I look at it purely from my position as organizer. I will be extremely happy and proud if approximately ninety percent of what we had planned in advance, comes true. There will undoubtedly be things that could have been better. But if, for example, the mobility plan and the safety plan run smoothly and the entrepreneurs in the village have a well-filled cash register, that is a brilliant score. And if there is also a sporting achievement that can enchant us as Dutchmen, that would be the icing on the cake."
One thing is certain: if it were up to the men, this would not be the last GP of the Netherlands. "And it doesn't stop after this. If it were up to us, with this level of enthusiasm, we would organise this race for the next twenty years. We'll see later if that is realistic. We are definitely in it for the long haul. That is the best part, because then an event can evolve. That is also a huge challenge", says van Overdijk.