Support for a Formula 1 race in the north is gaining momentum in the business community. The Grand Prix Assen Business Club was created three weeks ago and already has nearly 100 members.
Dagblad van het Noorden reports that many northern businesses joined the Business Club over the past week, likely due to the news that the Dutch government would not be subsidising Zandvoort to host the race.
The club’s goal is to demonstrate that the Assen circuit is a better location for a Formula 1 race than Zandvoort. Each club member either pays 1,000 euros to join, which goes to the campaign to bring the event to Assen, or offers free services for the campaign. The members should get an update early next week about the latest news from Formula 1.
In the city of Groningen, businesses are also getting on board. During a meeting of the Commercial Club Groningen on Thursday night, former alderperson Joost van Keulen made the case for the Grand Prix Assen Business Club and encouraged more local businesses to get involved. Van Keulen will officially begin leading the campaign to bring Formula 1 to Drenthe in March.
The Commercial Club Groningen is a network for business owners, government officials and other professionals in the commercial sector in the city. The club, which has existed in some form since the Second World War, regularly hosts networking events and informational evenings for members.
