Zandvoort’s return to the Formula 1 calendar might have to wait until 2021 despite attempts to reschedule this year’s race, says Dutch Grand Prix boss Jan Lammers.
While the original May 1-3 date was scrapped on Thursday amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been reported that F1 is trying to find a slot for the new race in the August weeks vacated by the moving of the summer break.
However, Lammers has conceded those plans might be too optimistic.
“We’ve accepted the fact that [not rescheduling] might be one of the consequences,” he admitted to motorsport.com. “There are countries where the virus hasn’t even entered. Where are we on the graph of the peak?
“In China it’s getting back in control, but in which stage are we at the moment? It’s something that we’d like to think we’re in control of, but we’re not, it’s the virus that has us all in its grip.”
“We would be over the moon if by July we can say the country and the world is free of the virus, but how realistic is that?
“If August would be something that you focus on then it could well be a matter of time before you have to cancel that one. It’s all taking place in the world that we all live in. You look around and say how realistic is it? You tell me.”
With tickets to the race already sold out, Lammers empathises with fans who have already set plans in motion, but maintains that in the grand scheme of things, a cancellation is not that big of an issue.
“If you’re a fan, and you bought your ticket, and you have to wonder when the grand prix is in the light of what is happening at the moment that is an inconvenience, rather than a drama or a disaster,” he said.
“People that are healthy one day are the next week fighting for their lives. If that hasn’t happened in your own circle, you have to consider yourself lucky. Wait until it hits somewhere close to you before you realise what’s going on in the world.”