Dutch GP ‘proud’ to fend off environmental attacks

Zandvoort has to beat back the tree huggers

(GMM) Jan Lammers says he is "proud" that Dutch GP organizers have so far fended off strong environmental opposition to next year's Zandvoort race.

The former F1 driver is the spokesman of the Zandvoort organizers, who have managed to repel the legal and bureaucratic hurdles put in their path so far by environmental groups.

"The director and his team have worked extremely hard and I am proud that the judge agreed that Zandvoort carried out its work carefully," Lammers told racingnews365.nl.

He said the environmental groups were not open to the idea of compromise.

"The opponents we are dealing with are opposed in principle," said Lammers. "Whether something is real or not, they don't care. They're simply against everything you say.

"If they come up with real ideas, then we listen to them with full attention and take something from it."

In fact, Lammers said it is wrong to characterize the Dutch GP organizers as being at war with the environment.

"We are actually on the same side as the environmental organizers that we have been confronted with in court," he said.

"The Dutch GP will become the most sustainable race on the Formula 1 calendar."