Ricciardo: Drivers will need "big balls" to be fast at Zandvoort
F1 News
- Jake Williams-Smith
Daniel Ricciardo has given his assessment of Formula 1's return to Zandvoort in 2020 for the Dutch Grand Prix.
For the first time since 1985, a Dutch Grand Prix will be on the F1 calendar with the old-school Zandvoort circuit playing host to the event.
While FIA president Jean Todt has already admitted the circuit will need to undergo several changes to bring it up to F1 safety standards, Ricciardo believes that the unforgiving nature of the circuit could make for an exciting prospect for the drivers.
“The track to drive on is pretty awesome,” Ricciardo said.
“It is high-speed, it is old school, big balls. From a driving point of view it is fun. But how fast it is, and how narrow some places are, I don’t think it would be that exciting for overtaking.
"Just my initial feeling, I think with the speeds we go now, following another car would be very difficult. So that is my reservation with it, I think it could be a very processional race. Otherwise the track is cool, but we will see.
“I’m a bit torn because to drive on it would be fun but to race on it would be…with the width of the cars now, it is probably like a street circuit through some of the places, and then all the highspeed through the middle.
“We will see but I think it would be tricky to make an exciting race. I don’t know if they have plans to change it.”