Formula 1 execs started talks to get the Dutch Grand Prix back on the calendar, "with ambitious plans being considered for a street race in a major city," according to Jonathon Noble of AUTOSPORT. F1 Managing Dir, Commercial Operations Sean Bratches visited the Netherlands for talks with local representatives to "work out what needs to be done to make the event a reality." It is understood that Max Verstappen's home country is "high on the list" of places that F1's new owners want added to the grand prix schedule, "as interest has boomed there thanks to the Red Bull driver." While it had previously been thought that the Netherlands' "best hopes of winning an F1 race would be for it to take place at permanent track Zandvoort," which last hosted a GP in '85, sources revealed Bratches is "looking at bolder plans." With F1's new vision to make grands prix festival events, Bratches is "targeting a street race in one of Holland's major cities -- most likely either Amsterdam or Rotterdam." All options are currently being considered, with F1 "well aware that it will have to balance out the attraction of Amsterdam being a more well-known destination city against the likely more difficult logistical problems that could come from hosting an event there" (AUTOSPORT, 10/10).
