Dutch GP's Uncertain Future: Biennial Races at Zandvoort After 2025?
Aug.26 - It is possible Zandvoort will have to settle for hosting a Dutch F1 GP once every two years.
The highly popular event has an annual contract only until 2025 - and circuit director Robert van Overdijk admits that talks with Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali may not be straightforward.
"Whether we still prefer to be on the calendar every year after 2025 is still the question," he told de Telegraaf newspaper.
He says the contract talks will hit a high gear only in 2024.
"It will be about what FOM wants after 2025," said the Dutchman. "How many races do they want in Europe and what would a rotation schedule look like.
"They have already indicated that they want to spread the races even further all over the world. And that can only be at the expense of one continent - Europe.
"Only when we have clarity about this can we think properly about it."
It seems that, if Zandvoort does have to alternate each year, it would be with Spa-Francorchamps.
Some, however, find it hard to believe that F1 would forgo an annual Dutch F1 GP when the dominant world champion is Max Verstappen.
"It's not so simple for us that you can say that because Verstappen is here until 2028, so too will Zandvoort be," said van Overdijk.
"The interest of the public and the business community determines Zandvoort's raison d'etre after 2025. We are of course positive about it, but it is by no means a certainty."
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With so many races now held in the Middle East, why not force some of them to alternate. Sacrificing Spa and Zandvoort for the interests of others would be a travesty.
FOM need to consider the ridiculous amount of crisscrossing all over the planet that currently prevails, and make the racing calendar more logical and environmentally beneficial for everyone involved.
However, Liberty Media's greed will probably dictate that money is more important than the well being of the people doing the show!
The Middle East locations are simply too lucrative for bi-annual hosting.
Absolutely correct, smokey, but the sand dollars trump all else. (yes, double pun intended)
Roughly 9M working population of Holland , come on a few $$$ each and the race fees secured Sorted...........
I think that the organizers realize that if the lose VER the gate will take an immediate 30% hit.