Verstappen hoping for Dutch Grand Prix "later this year"

Max Verstappen is hoping Formula 1 will be able to stage the Dutch Grand Prix "later this year".

F1 was due to return to Zandvoort for the first time in 35 years today (May 3) only for the race to become one of 10 that has so far been cancelled or postponed.

Dutch GP sporting director Jan Lammers has told GPFans that fans would rather see a behind-closed-doors race on television than no event at all this season.

Dutch fans calling for grand prix to be run behind closed doorsRead more

Red Bull driver Verstappen is hoping to be racing at the track at some point soon.

Verstappen said: “We were all very much looking forward to having a home grand prix in the Netherlands but hopefully later in the year, or whenever it’s possible to race again, we can get that started."

In the meantime, Verstappen and team-mate Alex Albon have given F1 followers starved of action a taste of the Netherlands with a drive across the country in championship-winning RB7s and RB8s.

Filmed in January prior to the current lockdown was imposed, the video, entitled 'Dutch Road Trip: From Port to Zandvoort', shows Verstappen and Albon emerging from shipping containers at the Rotterdam docks in RB7s.

After a high-speed blast between sea freight containers, they then take to the narrow lanes of the Dutch countryside with a drive past windmills and through the middle of flower-filled greenhouses, before hitting the cobbled streets of The Hague.

After taking to the sand dunes, where they are joined for an aerial stunt by 2018 MXGP world champion Jeffrey Herlings, the final stop is Zandvoort, where Verstappen and Albon get their first taste of the remodelled track in the RB8. “If we can’t race, then I think it’s great to put something out there for our fans,” said Verstappen.

“The idea for this content came from Red Bull and it’s very cool to show everyone a bit of Holland with this Dutch road trip.

"I think it’s very special and Red Bull are the only ones doing this kind of thing.

"Normally you only see F1 cars on a race track but we do crazy stuff on snow, on the beach. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for people to see this in front of their homes.

"Plus, I got to do some laps of the new Zandvoort Circuit, so very happy with that! I hope everyone enjoys this film.”

Albon added: “Obviously this weekend we should have been racing at Zandvoort but that’s not quite so simple now.

"With everything going on there’s been a limit to the amount of F1 content available recently, so I’m really happy we’re able to release this now to give fans something to look forward to.

"We filmed this in January and it was great fun. I think the film has turned out brilliantly and I hope everyone enjoys it. Hopefully, when this season starts again they’ll be as ready as we are.”

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