Assen, 2014

F1 likely to suit Assen better than Zandvoort – Whiting

2018 F1 season

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A Formula 1 race in the Netherlands could be held more easily at Moto GP venue Assen rather than the former Dutch Grand Prix venue Zandvoort.

The rising popularity of Max Verstappen makes a race in the Netherlands an obvious target for F1. A large contingent of Verstappen fans attended last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, which he won.

FIA race director Charlie Whiting, who made his first visit to the Assen circuit earlier this year, believes the track configuration would suit F1.

“From my perspective with minor modifications it would be a nice track for Formula 1,” he told media including RaceFans in Austria. “I believe the location’s good as well. But that’s all I know, I don’t know whether there’s any commercial negotiations.

“From a track perspective only, yes, it could be OK.”

Assen is predominantly used for motorbike racing but has held some high-level motorsport. Former F1 driver Justin Wilson won a one-off Champ Car race at the track in 2006.

F1 last raced at Zandvoort in 1985 but the track has been significantly altered since then. Whiting indicated Assen would require less work to become F1-ready.

“We haven’t done any simulations on Zandvoort [so] it’s a little premature to say,” said Whiting. “I think it would be a great track. I’m not sure yet without the simulations exactly how much work would be necessary.

“But of the two at present I would say Assen would need very little work,” he added.

During last weekend’s Moto GP race at Assen champions Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo expressed concern that F1 could race at a circuit which is synonymous with bike racing. The high downforce produced by F1 cars can creates bumps which bikes cannot ride well.

However reigning Moto GP champion Marc Marquez, who tested a Formula 1 car at the Red Bull Ring earlier this year, was more enthusiastic about the idea.

“Formula One would be very, very fast here,” he said. “There are many fast corners and maybe the lap time would only be one minute, because they are so fast.

“But always it’s good when Formula One is interested about circuits like Assen. For the bikes this means we would have some bumps, but it’s not a big problem.”

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25 comments on “F1 likely to suit Assen better than Zandvoort – Whiting”

  1. Roth Man (@rdotquestionmark)
    4th July 2018, 10:08

    Just don’t ruin it please!

  2. Personally I’d rather see a Dutch GP at Zandvoort but Assen would be awesome as well

    1. More history and it’s in the dunes that gives it a nice lay out with height differences

    2. Honestly, I don’t think you’d say that after you’d see the proposed changes needed to bring it up to Grade 1. Almost every corner would need a ton of asphalt run-off (as most is currently gravel, from memory), and many corners would need to be completely re profiled.

      Assen is a much better bet if they want to go with a current circuit. It already has decent run-off, something which Zandvoort lacks in places. I’d imagine they’d just convert some of the gravel to asphalt in some areas. Other than that, I can’t see any big fundamental changes required in terms of track layout.

      1. For what I understabd about current F1 is that they dont necessary to have huge run off. It’s the circuit owners that want that because lower categories and amateur drivers don’t want to ruin their cars.

        1. That’s sort of right.

          There’s strict calculations for run-off measurements, but the FIA guidelines are exactly that – guidelines – meaning every decision regarding run-off and the like are down to the discretion of the FIA.

          The issue you’ve touched upon is the type of run-off used. Circuit owners are now having a tendency to lean towards asphalt, as this is much better for day-to-day usage for track days, for example. Not everyone is Lewis Hamilton, so expect a few off track excursions. Asphalt is generally considered more favourable for two reasons:
          1) Less chance of damaging the floor of the car
          2) Operationally it means less chance of using a removal vehicle for a beached car, and no need to rake the gravel beds in the event of an off track excursion

  3. Minor? The entire track would need to be widened by like 30% to even remotely offer the possibility of overtaking. Not to mention it’s short and twisty. Would make for dull racing.

    1. The only thing that is better at Assen is the infrastructure and the nearby airfield (Groningen airport Eelde), although at Zandvoort there is Schiphol.
      But the track of the TT should stay thesame, else races like last weekend won’t be there anymore. Plus the TT is always a spectacle in motorracing and just like Spa for F1 drivers, a real drivers track. So don’t spoil it for F1.
      As for Zandvoort, this is a racing car track, which could use an overhaul anyway. The hospitality, the track, but you’ll keep the asthetics.
      IMO TT is for Motorcycles (and it’s history with it) and Zandvoort is for Racecars, lets keep it that way.

    2. What overtaking would that be, in the pits you mean?

  4. Soooo, iirc Parabolica (among other things) was ruined saying this was necessary for bike racing safety reasons. Sooo, looking at this picture of a bike-track i can’t help but noticing….. there is relatively little concrete runoff here. Whats up with that?

  5. I don’t think F1 is particularly suited to either TBH.

    Zandvoort is a great track but the facilities just aren’t ready for F1 & if you thought traffic was bad at Paul Ricard I gather it would be likely be much worse at Zandvoort.

    Assen is also a great track & the facilities are probably better but that track layout just isn’t suited for F1. It’s too narrow & it’s too fast with no real opportunities for overtaking.

    In 2007 Champcar raced at Assen & I’ve seen Superleague Formula race at Assen & neither race was especially good because half the track was flat out & the few braking zones that are there were short & not very hard. If those cars struggled to put on a good race there you can imagine what an F1 race would be like.

  6. F1 at Assen would be even more boring than a Monaco GP, and they would ruin the track by turning it into a car park with all the asphalt runoffs and high curbs that are needed for ‘safety’.

    1. Asphalt runoff is mainly for bikes so…

      1. Nope. They like gravel as it slows the bikes down. So…

        1. I think bikes are OK with tarmac + gravel but not with tarmac only. Compare most run-offs in Silverstone (which is used by F1 and MotoGP) and Spa (only F1).

          1. Wow! Going all the way back to 2007 are we? You mean when they had no runoffs at all? Comparing all the ex gravel traps that have been paved over in F1 to any stand alone Motogp track is laughable. Try harder mate.

      2. There’s a feeling that gravel separates the bike from the rider in the event of an off.

        1. Yep exactly! But everyone seemed to have missed that point. F1 fan boys who know nothing about Motogp.

  7. The Zandvoort city council has just broadly supported a plan to free up funds to try to attract F1 to the track, while the city of Assen is unwilling to invest.

    While roads and parking are not sufficient in Zandvoort, it is doable to have people park in locations at or around Schiphol Airport and ferry them to the track with a chain of coaches, or by train. Even transport over sea along the coast from IJmuiden or Noordwijk is a possibility; hovercraft ferries?

  8. Man, they’d seriously ruin it… don’t touch Assen. Go somewhere else…

  9. Neil (@neilosjames)
    4th July 2018, 16:57

    Assen is too small for F1. Watched the MotoGP at the weekend and couldn’t get my head around how ridiculous and boring a grand prix on that track would be. It’s a lovely bike track, but that’s all it is.

    The only way to host F1 on Assen would be to buy some of the surrounding land to extend (and probably ruin) the existing layout. And even that probably wouldn’t work.

    Please, just no.

  10. Michael Brown (@)
    5th July 2018, 0:42

    Zandvoort would be better with a longer final straight and therefore pit straight. But the track has the same issue that Brands Hatch has; the track was shortened because of noise complaints.

  11. Jeroen Valkema
    5th July 2018, 20:03

    I prefer a new track somewhere near Lelystad. It has lots of empty space, good infrastructure, airport nearby and it is in the center of out country. Will cost a lot of money though…

  12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkiSVJV8ET0

    Champ Car raced there in 06 I think so you can go look for videos also…

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