Assen’s long-discussed dream of hosting a Formula 1 race has come to a definitive end, with circuit management scrapping plans entirely.
TT Circuit Assen, known to MotoGP fans worldwide as the Cathedral of Speed, will not be pursuing a Formula 1 slot on the calendar.
TT director Mark van Aalderen confirmed the decision, stating the circuit will not spend millions to secure the required Grade One safety licence.
With Formula 1’s calendar fully booked until 2030, there is simply no realistic window available for a second Dutch Grand Prix in Drenthe.
Chairman Arjan Bos acknowledged that public interest in a potential Assen F1 race remains constant and hard to ignore throughout the racing season.
“After the TT event, followed by Jack’s Casino Racing Day and then during Zandvoort’s Grand Prix, we’re always asked if and when Formula 1 will come to Assen,” Bos told De Telegraaf.
Despite that enthusiasm, the board moved quickly to put the matter to rest after holding direct talks with senior Formula 1 figures.
In February, key figures from Assen met Derek Chang, CEO of Liberty Media, in Barcelona to discuss the circuit’s prospects openly and honestly.
“We asked him straight about our chances of hosting a Formula 1 race,” said Bos, explaining that Chang directed them to Louise Young, the chief race officer responsible for circuit selection and calendar management.
A subsequent call with Young delivered the reality check that ultimately sealed the decision for Assen’s management once and for all.
“Her honest answer made it clear that the chance was minimal,” Bos explained, adding that the board quickly concluded investing millions was simply not a sensible course of action.
Van Aalderen had previously indicated the circuit would adapt its layout if a promoter ever wanted to stage a Formula 1 event at the venue.
However, with any vacancy beyond 2030 unlikely to favour a European track, those contingency plans have now been shelved permanently by the board.
The financial resources that would have gone toward an F1 upgrade will instead be channelled back into the circuit’s two-wheeled racing programme.
“We know the costs of continuing to host the MotoGP, which returns next year for its 94th edition,” Van Aalderen stated with clear confidence in the circuit’s direction.
Bos echoed that sentiment firmly, leaving no room for ambiguity about where Assen’s priorities now lie going forward.
“Unless a miracle happens — which is extremely unlikely — the required investments just aren’t worth the potential return,” Bos concluded.
Zandvoort remains the sole Dutch venue on the Formula 1 calendar, hosting the Dutch Grand Prix as it continues to draw huge crowds each summer.
For Assen, MotoGP represents not just a financial commitment but a deep cultural identity that the circuit’s leadership is clearly unwilling to compromise.