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In Formula 1 there is a lot of attention for the renewed Arie Luyendyk curve, which is equipped with a substantial banking especially for the return of the royal class. Although the cornering will look pretty spectacular, the last nod for the drivers will be a lot less interesting, says former Grand Prix driver Gijs van Lennep.
According to the double winner of the 24-hour Le Mans race, the final corner will no longer be a challenge, especially for the drivers in the other racing classes that run at Zandvoort. “The Arie Luyendyk curve will soon be simple”, Van Lennep says as GPUpdate.net he speaks for a new episode of ‘Memories of the Dutch Grand Prix’, which will go online later on Saturday. “With every car it becomes easy to take full throttle. With a Porsche Cup car you had to drive just the right line in order to get through full throttle. And that made it a bit exciting. But now that curve is no longer exciting. “
According to Van Lennep, the fact that you are going through a huge cornering turn as a driver does not change that. “No, no matter which line you drive, you will be going full throttle there. Banking is only useful for Formula 1, so that you can overtake DRS on the straight.” The name giver of the bend, by the way, fully agrees with Van Lennep. “The more slope you get in a turn, the easier it is. It won’t be a difficult turn, but it will be an interesting one,” said Luyendyk, who twice won the Indianapolis 500. [iNRC].
All this does not alter the fact that Van Lennep is very happy with the work currently taking place at Circuit Zandvoort. “The circuit was aging a bit. There was some maintenance here and there, so to speak. But the circuit will last for another twenty to thirty years. And on top of that we also have the Grand Prix for the minimum period of three years! ” Last September Van Lennep came into action with a Porsche 718 at the ‘old’ Zandvoort, during the Historic Grand Prix. When asked if he will also try out the new circuit when it is finished, it sounds enthusiastic: “Absolutely! Of course we will also ride over it!”
The full interview with Gijs van Lennep will be finished later on Saturday GPUpdate.net to read.
Photo credit: Chris Schotanus
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