OFFICIAL: Government blocks possible Dutch GP during summer

Prime Minister Mark Rutte has announced on behalf of the Dutch government an extension of the current measures against COVID-19. This means, among other things, that no events requiring a permit may be held until 1 September.

Because the Grand Prix of the Netherlands is also included, it will not be held until September at the earliest. In the weeks of speculation about the Formula 1 calendar of 2020, the Dutch GP was regularly mentioned as one of the candidates that would fill the weekends of the original summer break, so that plan is now off the track.

With this permit requirement, the large amount of public coming to this is a particular stumbling block. At many other Grands Prix there is talk about the possibility to finish the event without an audience. Jan Lammers, director of the Dutch Grand Prix, has indicated several times that this is not an option for the event at Circuit Zandvoort.

To finance the Grand Prix the organizers assumed not only a full house on the Sunday, but also the Friday and Saturday. One cannot afford to miss out on three full days of ticket sales.