Mayor Spielberg: ''Always special as Red Bull and Verstappen win''

F1 News

3 July 2020 at 06:59
  • GPblog.com

The mayor of Spielberg has in recent years enjoyed the Orange audience that was massively present during the Austrian Grands Prix, but in 2020 it will have to do without fans. A disappointment, but the right decision.

Special Verstappen moment

Like many other sports events, Formula 1 will start again and will do so under strict conditions. Fans are not allowed to be present on the track and everyone wears mouth caps. Manfred Lenger as mayor saw a lot of the Dutch the last few years and will miss that now.

''In recent years you've had an Austrian team that could win at home with a Dutch driver filling the stands with his fans. It is always very special. I don't know Max Verstappen personally, but I would like to meet him sometime'', says the mayor in conversation with the NOS.

On to 2021

As mayor, Lenger himself was not involved in the decision to do the race without an audience. ''That's not up to the council, it's up to the government. I'm very happy about it, because it's a good signal you're sending out. As a region, we've been virus-free for weeks and Formula 1 has done everything in its power to prevent contamination.''

In 2020 there will be no Dutch people welcome in Austria, but that will change next year. ''Formula 1 is now best watched in front of the television, because you can't go anywhere here. However, all Dutch fans are welcome again during the Austrian Grand Prix in 2021'', concludes Lenger.