Dutch GPrix could return as F1 looks to Max factor

Heritage circuits face uncertain future

LONDON, Nov 19, (RTRS): Formula One is hoping to bring back the Dutch Grand Prix and build on the wave of popularity surrounding Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

“We are very interested in racing in Holland,” Sean Bratches, the sport’s commercial managing director, told Reuters at the weekend when asked about a possible return to the Zandvoort circuit that hosted 30 races from 1952 to 1985.

“We are having productive conversations there and I am cautiously optimistic we can do something to surprise and delight fans in that territory and take advantage of the Max factor,” he added. calendar beyond the current 21 races.

At the same time, historic but financially-challenged venues like Britain’s Silverstone, Italy’s Monza and Germany’s Hockenheim have contracts expiring next year with concern about their futures.

Those were put into sharper focus when Formula One chairman Chase Carey told a Liberty Media investor meeting last week that “we expect to replace a few existing races where we inherited unattractive agreements, with new events or agreements that are better for racing and provide more value.”

Bratches said discussions were ongoing with a number of current and potential promoters and saw plenty of interest.

“We’re in an extraordinary favourable position I think, in the pole position if you will, in terms of Formula One being an attractive product for countries around the world,” he said, speaking at Formula One’s esports series.

“From a brand standpoint, from a history standpoint our intention is to renew the heritage circuits,” he added. “We think it’s an important part of Formula One.

“But at the same time we’re a publicly traded company, we’re a business, we have obligations to our partners and the teams to maximize the investment that they are making into the sport and we’re going to try to balance that with the complexities of some of these negotiations.”

Silverstone, which hosted the first championship Grand Prix in 1950, last year activated a break clause in the circuit’s contract for financial reasons in the hope of negotiating a better deal.

Bratches has suggested previously that the British Grand Prix does not have to be at Silverstone, although he said that remained the favoured option.

“We’ve said time and again our intention is to race in Silverstone for the next 68 years,” said Bratches.

“But at the same time we are running a business and we are going to make prudent decisions as it relates to running the business and that includes keeping a keen eye on fans’ views and perspectives.”

Backup Alex Stalock stopped 25 shots for Minnesota as usual starter Devan Dubnyk got the night off in the second of back-to-back games.

Parise has six goals in his last nine games and has scored in two straight.

In Raleigh, North Carolina, Justin Williams and Micheal Ferland scored in the game’s first 30 seconds and Carolina held on for the victory.

Curtis McElhinney made 33 saves for Carolina.

Carolina’s two-goal outburst in the first half-minute was a franchise record and tied for fifth-fastest in NHL history.

Pavel Zacha scored his second goal of the season late in the first period for New Jersey. Cory Schneider finished with 20 saves.

In New York, Esa Lindell scored twice during Dallas’ four-goal second period and the Stars won their second straight game.

Alexander Radulov had two goals and an assist, Tyler Seguin had a goal and two assists, and Roope Hintz also scored for the Stars. Jamie Benn had three assists, Jason Spezza had two to top 900 points in his career, and Ben Bishop stopped 37 shots.

Anthony Beauvillier and Scott Mayfield scored for the Islanders, who lost in regulation for the third time in 12 games (7-3-2). Thomas Greiss had 16 saves, and was pulled after giving up three goals on six shots in the first 7:08 of the second period. Robin Lehner finished with 11 saves. Ben Bishop #30 of the Dallas Stars makes the second period save on Josh Bailey #12 of the New York Islanders

at the Barclays Center on Nov 18 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (AFP)

In Edmonton, Alberta, Jonathan Marchessault had two goals and an assist to help Vegas beat Edmonton.

William Karlsson, Cody Eakin, Max Pacioretty and Reilly Smith also scored, Smith tacked on two assists and Colin Miller had three. The Golden Knights have won two of their last three to improve to 9-11-1. Connor McDavid, Alex Chiasson and Leon Draisaitl scored for Edmonton. The Oilers are 9-10-1 after dropping six of seven.

In Anaheim, California, Mikko Rantanen’s power-play slap shot with 1.3 seconds on the clock in overtime lifted Colorado over slumping Anaheim.

Rantanen also had two assists for the Avalanche, who overcame a 3-1 deficit to hand the Ducks their 12th loss in 15 games. Nathan MacKinnon added a goal and two assists, and Philipp Grubauer stopped 30 shots for Colorado. Sven Andrighetto and Gabriel Landeskog scored the other Avalanche goals.