Sixteen years ago, a reserve driver in a red Ferrari set a lap record at the famous Zandvoort circuit but after a complete re-pavement and demonstration run by Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, that record fell this weekend.
“I finally got some new tyres and it was not really a demonstration run anymore,” Verstappen said.
“I decided to push it a little bit. If you are here with so many fans I think that’s a good idea.
“It was not easy. But in the end, with three tenths, that’s good enough I think, for today.
“I didn’t expect it because the tyres are quite hard, for demonstration runs.
“But at least I managed to get one decent lap out of it, so that’s good.”
Luca Badoer had held the previous record at 1m19.880s but local hero, Verstappen, broke it with a 1m19.511s on the 2.676-mile Dutch track.
Zandvoort was an F1 staple on the racing calendar and while many would like to see it return, Verstappen knows it would take some serious infrastructure changes.
“If it was up to me, we’ve have it here already,” Verstappen said.
“Of course, that would be very nice, but there is more to it, like a budget and the infrastructure.
“A lot needs to be done in order to be able to organise this.”
If the new owners of F1 are keen to bring back European races, then perhaps a way can be found but until then, the lap record for the Dutch circuit is now held by a Dutch driver in a 2012 spec V8 F1 car.
Hat Tip: Autosport
I’d love a return of the Dutch GP and I’m sure F1 would too, especially with Max as a rising star. Echo the effect that Alonso had on the Spanish GP. That said I don’t really see it. Infrastructure is one thing, but I think and I may be wrong, but isn’t Zandvoort quite heavily limited in terms of the number of ‘noisy days’ these days?
Ongelooflijk!!! That would be impressive to see, Verstappen in a 2012 car. He’d have to learn KERS and blown diffuser.
The Autosport article says that the ‘Jumbo days’ at Zandvoort last year and this year have pulled crowds of 100,000+, if they could do that, or better, over an F1 weekend they’d be close to breaking even, maybe……
The Luca Badoer FERRARI Zandvoort lap record was achieved in the FERRARI F2001 using the 3L O50 V10 ENGINE, the car back then had the permitted traction and launch control systems in use.
But then again, it also head Luca Badoer, so it must not have been a very great effort of Max :-)