Lammers: ''A race is only feasible for Zandvoort if it costs nothing''

F1 News

28 April 2020 at 08:13
  • GPblog.com

Chase Carey has indicated that the Formula 1 season should start in July and that the calendar will be presented at short notice. However, the leadership will have to do a lot of work to make this happen.

Enormous costs for Formula 1

Jan Lammers, sports director of the Grand Prix of the Netherlands, also sees this. Now that fans are not welcome on most circuits, there is not a penny for organizers to earn from a race. Liberty Media will therefore have to come up with a mountain of money itself in order for the races to take place at the various locations.

''Of course they want to show resilience and Austria is of course already easing the rules. From that point of view, the choice is logical, but what do you do next? The season depends on the decisiveness of Formula One Management. If you want to race without an audience, then the management has to pay for the costs, because the organization will not do it'', says Lammers to the AD.

Zandvoort still wants a race

Television contracts have skyrocketed in recent years and now it appears that this is not without reason. Thanks to these funds, the sport can also survive without fans on the track and Formula 1 will soon be able to race anyway. ''However, I do not envy FOM, because they have to pay for major events at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps.''

Lammers also has a dilemma for Zandvoort in this respect. ''Our loyalty lies with the people who bought a ticket and we now notice that they are open to a race without an audience, especially if the alternative is not a race. That gives us air to make it negotiable, but also for us that is only an option if it doesn't cost us anything'', concludes Lammers.