Car Vrum

The Belgian GP and the Spa-Francorchamps circuit are in danger of disappearing from the F1 calendar. It is in stark contrast to what is happening at Zandvoort. In Zandvoort they empathize with Spa-Francorchamps but also point out where things go wrong for the Belgian GP.

With a one-year delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, Zandvoort and the ‘Dutch GP’ ​​returned to the F1 calendar last year. It turned out to be a solid ‘Dutch party’ and there was a lot to experience for the fans. According to Robert van Overdijk, the CEO of the Zandvoort circuit, the ‘fan engagement’ ensures that the ‘Dutch GP’ ​​has become a kind of benchmark in Formula 1.

According to him, Formula 1 has every world city to choose from, they all want an F1 race, so according to the CEO of Zandvoort you really have to know how to distinguish yourself. In this respect, things go wrong in Spa-Francorchamps, too little entertainment and ‘fan engagement’.

“That has nothing to do with the track or the history”, says Van Overdijk during an interview with ‘Formula 1 magazine’ about the dire situation in which Spa-Francorchamps and the GP of Belgium are currently located.

“Because all that is indisputable. I think it has to do with the fact that you have to keep innovating with your event. And I think the same goes for Spain and the Italian races. Because again: FOM does not want to make an hour and a half of television in one day; they want great TV for three days.”

And we did indeed receive beautiful images and TV at the Zandvoort circuit last year. The ‘Dutch party’ after Max Verstappen’s victory finished it all off.

For Belgian F1 fans, meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether Spa-Francorchamps will still be on the F1 calendar next year.