Dutch F1 Street Race?

OCTOBER 11, 2017

F1 looking into Dutch street race


F1 could be looking to stage a race on the streets of the Dutch capital.

Reports including in the Berliner Kurier indicate that on the back of Max Verstappen's huge popularity, Liberty Media is open to a potential race on the streets of either Amsterdam or Rotterdam.

"Liberty's seriousness is demonstrated by the recent visit to Holland of Sean Bratches, who looked into all possibilities," the Berliner Kurier report declared.

However, well-known Dutch F1 television presenter Olav Mol is not getting too excited.

"It seems to be a long-shot to me," he told the Ziggo Sport Totaal broadcaster.

"Formula one will first want to add another American race in Las Vegas or New York.

"Any deal for the Netherlands will be done at the government level, so I think it's a bit premature. But if it happens, I'll be the first to support it," Mol added.

Former F1 driver Robert Doornbos added: "We have two beautiful circuits in Assen and Zandvoort, but a street race would bring certain advantages.

"Now it will come down to the political and financial level, but I'm 1000 per cent behind it and would support it in every possible way," he said.

 

I am not a massive fan of street circuits, however I'll sure make an exception if this one comes off, short hop on a plane for me, stay at my mates house, job done great stuff fingers crossed.

 

OMG, that would be fantastic!

Amsterdam is a great city and there is so much to do/visit nearby. Would definitely make a trans Atlantic trip worthwhile. I like the way Liberty is thinking and with Max being so young, they have enough years ahead to get this lined up.

Just please not in the middle of summer.

 

Rotterdam would be far better, striking modern port city much improved in the last few years. Home of a major SF sponsor too.
Amsterdam is well, all about the canals.
A return to Zandvoort would be better than either.

 

Agreed on all.

Regardless, I much rather see another GP in the heart of Europe added to the calendar than a Fly-away race.

 

Amsterdam and Rotterdam not interested in Dutch GP idea https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/amsterdam-roterdam-not-interested-dutch-gp-965206/ … via @motorsport.

 

Bummer

Liberty should think about reviving the Nuerburgring GP: Would be just as easy for the Dutch fans to go there. Aside from the many German fans of course. I bet today it would sell out.

 

Zandvoort seems to get alot of buzz(talk)....nothing official though.

 

Reviving Zandvoort would be fantastic. One of the "original" tracks etc but it is in poor/non F1 standards shape and in the middle of nowhere. The same issues as bringing the Glen back. Or having F1 at Road America.

Street race in a big city would be easiest but if there is not enough political will/support it ain't gonna happen. I still like my idea of the Nuerburgring: Within Dutch travel distance and a ready-to-go F1 track, which isn't even bad.

 

Another GP in Europe would be OK.

Another street circuit wouldn't be OK.

 

Yes I hear you, same thoughts really, but better on a street than no GP is more my thinking.

 

Most street circuits don't last the distance. They generally provide a poor layout, create chaos where they are held and have to be rebuild every year.
After the initial euphoria, the mounting cost and public disaffection soon make them unprofitable, and they vanish from the calendar.
There are race circuits that could be upgraded to hold a GP at a fraction of the cost, I gather.
Monaco is an exception, but the fact that they pay no fee to hold the GP and are exempted from most of the safety regulations may explain it.

 

Zandvoort? Yes yes yes !

 

I assume you mean the modern Nürburgring circuit and not the original Nordschleife circuit?

So would Liberty Media pick up the bill for running an annual F1 race at the Nürburgring?, because as it stands, the circuit can't afford to do it as the German fans have no interest attending F1 races any more, and there's no way the owners of the circuit would gamble on relying on the Dutch fans turning up en mass to fill the place (In case you don't know, the Dutch and the Germans are not exactly the best of mates - They have looong memories in the Netherlands, and they want their bicycles back! )

I suspect the Dutch fans would much rather see a race held at a revamped Zandvoort than trek to the Nürburgring in Germany.

It seems to Me that someone somewhere has completely over-estimated how eager cities really are to put an F1 race on! - Especially in the Netherlands!

Liberty Media keep talking about it as though every big city on the planet wants to put a race on, but it seems the reality is not quite as they make it out to be.

Talk of racing around the streets of London, New York, Las Vegas, Amsterdam, etc., etc., "Grand Turismo" video game style, sounds very easy to set up, but the reality is, when it's looked into properly, the disruption caused to the cities involved is more of a headache than the city bosses are prepared to put up with.

A handy tip for whoever first put this Dutch city race proposal story out, would be: Find out if the city/cities that you are talking about are actually genuinely interested in putting on an F1 race before you publish the story! - It could save a lot of embarrassment later on!

 

Yes of course the modern track.

The Dutch swamped Spa this year and I don't see why they wouldn't do the same at Nuerburgring, which is only about an hour East of Spa. And while there might be some sentiments left, I'm pretty sure they would turn up in masses. They do so as well when there is a soccer match. As for the Germans, they have plenty of reasons to attend F1 these days with Vettel in the running for the title.

 

I had to check - There are some delusional fans who think there should be an F1 race again on the Nordschleife!

For some reason, the Germans don't seem to get behind Vettel that much - Just look at the ever declining attendances for the German Grand Prix's during his time with Red Bull when he was going for WDC wins.

And even with Mercedes winning just about every week, the German's still showed very little interest in attending their home Grand Prix's.

The Dutch fans might turn up en mass in Germany for Max, but can the owners of the Nürburgring circuit take that risk?

 

It's not exactly in the middle nowhere, it's 24 km's away from Schiphol airport. Europe's largest airport by number of connections with the rest of the world, 3rd largest in Europe by number of passengers (2nd at the end the year). Zandvoort has a train station with a direct connection with Schiphol airport and Amsterdam. Yes, road connections are troublesome but the average Bangkok/Tokio/Hong Kong/Los Angeles resident would probably laugh at it.

It's beter connected than Spa and the Nurburgring will ever be.

The problem with Zandvoort is not the infrastructure, it's the track itself. which is old and tired

The track, run off areas, pit boxes, the stands etc.etc. it all needs a major, major rebuild to even get near F1 standards.

 

I've been to Zandvoort. My comment about the "middle of nowhere" is exactly what you say: no infrastructure

 

A nearby trainstation is infrastructure, so are a couple of B roads towards the highways in the Amsterdam direction, which could be designated one way only. The infrastructure can be overcome for an F1 weekend.

The track itself not so much.

 

Any track with a Tarzan gets my vote.

 

a street race makes no sense for a Formular 1 car. they are too fast and powerfull and nearly no possibility to overtake.
so geht back for example to imola or as you mentioned here take zandvoort or assen

 

Imola as a great passing track? Really?

Ever been there? It is super tiny and feels more like a gokart track than F1.

 

I have been there so many times that I cannot remember how often. first has been in 1981. always stayed in hotel/guesthouse la perla, directly in the middle of the racetrack
and this track has more possibilities to overtake than monaco.
a street/city race is mostly straigth on and 90 °, nothing more. no up- or downhill.

real just now race tracks I like are:

coming weekend texas
australia ( melbourne )
austria ( spielberg )
belgium (spa )
canada ( montreal )
great britain ( silverstone )
italy ( monza )
hungary ( mogyorod )
italy ( monza )
japan ( suzuka )
spain ( barcelona )

 

Ok you outrank me there. I'm still surprised that you think that place is good for overtaking. It is a beautiful track in a beautiful area and I'd love to go back there but wouldn't use it as a prime example for overtaking. And comparing it to Monaco isn't really saying much.

 

I never said that it is easy to overtake there. also I agree that this track is not a prime example for overtaking, but it is a real race track, up- and downhill, slow and fast curves, also high speed straight ( sure, not as long as in monza ), but still better than monaco.

sorry for my last post: I put in italy 2 times and can not delete anymore