Dutch television stays home when F1-season kicks off in Austria

The Formula 1 spectacle will most likely erupt on 5 July at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. Although, it will be a sober affair. Because of the strict safety regulations, it is questionable how much we will see of the drivers. Dutch television will not be there for that reason.

"We're not going there, Ziggo. Olav, Jack and the cameraman are not going to Austria", says pit reporter Jack Plooij in Formula 1 Cafe on Ziggo Sport. To be present at the Grand Prix the men had to travel at least three weeks and that's probably not worth it.

"FOM had contacted Ziggo and it was explained that if we wanted to go there we would have to go to England in quarantine for a week. There we were all tested twice and got our own room. Then you go with their own plane from FOM with all the media to Austria and then again fourteen days in quarantine".

No interviews in Austria?

At the circuit, the TV stations would then also have to operate separately from each other. All of this might have been worthwhile if Ziggo had also been allowed to interview the drivers, but it remains to be seen whether that will actually be possible.

"Then came the important question from our bosses: 'Do we get a guarantee that we can interview the drivers? But we didn't get it, because the teams can change that. They can't force anybody to come to that square."