Zandvoort......

[huub vink]

The new circuit is almost there:

I live quite close to the circuit and I'm convinced it will be a logistic nightmare! Zandvoort can only be reached by two secondary roads. And a part of these two (!) roads is already reserved for the emergency services. The nearest highway is behind the city of Haarlem. As it is foreseen that several racing teams will stay in my (sea-side) village (where you can find several "multiple star" large hotels) they are even considering to allow traffic on the beach..... Transport by helicopter is no options as movements are restricted and all limited available space is already consumed by the organisation.....

In the mid-eighties when formula one teams were still reasonably small and the sport wasn't as popular in the Netherlands as it is now, they only way you could reach Zandvoort by bicycle. I think that will not even be possible now.

People are not allowed to travel to Zandvoort with private transport. But I wouldn't like to invite the people who will try anyhow and I wonder how aware people from abroad will be of these restrictions.......

Nevertheless it will be an interesting weekend!

Cheers,
Huub

 

[Ferry_vO]

I live quite close to the circuit and I'm convinced it will be a logistic nightmare!

Which is why I prefer to sit in front of a TV instead of paying 400 euros to sit on a sand dune once (Or when!) I get there..

During other events the access to the track isn't bad; just take the train for the last bit (I park my car in Haarlem) and a brisk walk.

BTW I'm not happy how they've turned the 'track in the dunes' into a big slab of tarmac.

 

[wombat666]

Interesting! The new 'Arie Luyendyk' curve!

 

[huub vink]

They have made some interesting changes to the circuit, but its just in the wrong place.

The people who live in Zandvoort have received a set of rules about what they can do but in most cases what they can't do during the racing week. They can't park near their home and they get one permit per address to enable them to enter and leave the village (by car)......

As expected several teams have chosen my home town to stay. Which is 18 kilometres in a straight line. Madness continues as my village has issued a permit to at least three F-1 teams (Red Bull is one of them) to go to Zandvoort and back over the beach. They will need to cross a preserved nature area where many seals and birds live. To illustrate the madness: People who live here are not even allowed to cycle over the beach!
I don't think one week will cause irreversible damage to nature, but allowing them now, will create a precedent for the future.
In the 70-ties and 80-ties there was already a lot of protest against the F-1 at an un-reachable circuit in the middle of 3 large preserved nature areas. I guess we haven't learned a lot in the last 40 years.

I think most people will chose to park in Haarlem and try to take the train. But I don't think Haarlem will be able to handle the amounts expected.

Its weird, because Assen already had all the facilities they are currently creating at Zandvoort, is easy to access as its next to the highway. And also interesting for the Germans as its very close to the border.

Like you, I will be sitting in front of my TV.

Cheers,
Huub

 

[Roxane-21]

Like you, I will be sitting in front of my TV.

If you cannot even leave your home, it is indeed the best thing to do.

 

[wombat666]

Back when Assen had undergone quite an amount of reworking (not needed IMHO!) I watched a couple of races there for the 'Formula World Cup' (or whatever it was titled) and it seemed to work well.
On one hand I really hate the thought of the Grubby EffWun lot messing with Assen, on the other I'm really annoyed with the high handed treatment being forced on the locals at Zandvoort!

"The people who live in Zandvoort have received a set of rules about what they can do but in most cases what they can't do during the racing week. They can't park near their home and they get one permit per address to enable them to enter and leave the village......"

I'm with Ferry re the hideous slab of concrete!
As for the conservation impact, I despair of the stupidity of the idiots who just see $$$$$ signs.
Having a return to a Grand Prix was inevitable with the rise and rise of Max V, understandable, as is reviving Zandvoort, but bastardising the area (bloody great concrete slab!) while placing the local residents under curfew is ridiculous.

France lost their GP for years as the EffWun hierarchy were unhappy with the location and lack of suitable' infrastructure', while IIRC the #2 'Japanese GP' (labelled Pacific GP) vanished after two years because it was run at a circuit built on the top of a mountain serviced by a single dual lane road. Be sad if Zandvoort fell foul of the same poor strategy.

Must be time for my medication!!!!