By Bart H. Meijer
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – A Dutch court on Thursday denied claims by environmental activists against organisers of the country’s first Formula 1 Grand Prix since 1985, who they said threatened endangered species such as the natterjack toad and sand lizard.
Formula 1 is set to return on Sept 5 to the picturesque Zandvoort circuit, hemmed in between the Dutch coast and a large nature reserve some 25 kilometres (15 miles) west of Amsterdam, as it hopes to make the most of the popularity of Dutch racer Max Verstappen in the Netherlands.
The nature activists had demanded that permits for the track’s expansion be overturned, as they claimed builders had demolished precious dune reserves where the rare toads and lizards live and breed.
The court, however, said all permits were in order, as the disturbance for the animals was only temporary and did not weigh up the expected social and economic impact of the Grand Prix.
“This is a sporting event with one of the largest audiences worldwide … which will likely provide an economic impulse for Zandvoort and the circuit”, the court said.
The activists said they would appeal the decision, but the case is unlikely to be heard before the first weekend of September.
To make the race happen, the organisers had to drastically modernize and expand their outdated track, build new access roads through the dunes and construct extra stands to accommodate the expected more than 200,000 spectators.
How many of them will actually be allowed at the track remains to be seen, however, as COVID-19 rules still only allow for limited audiences at events.
Current rules are in place until Sept. 1 and Prime Minister Mark Rutte is expected to clarify the rules for after that date on Friday.
(Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
