Officials at the Dutch GP venue Zandvoort are breathing a sigh of relief, as circuit boss Robert van Overdijk decides to stay on board.
Recently, van Overdijk was strongly linked with a change of management career to the world of professional football, with several approaches rumoured to have been made.
But ahead of critical talks about extending the Dutch GP contract beyond 2025, De Telegraaf newspaper now reports that van Overdijk is not only staying, but he’s joining two other Dutchmen to become a co-owner of Zandvoort.
"For me, the appreciation, and the fact that I am now also a co-owner on top of the ambitions that we have, is a new incentive," he is quoted as saying.
One of the other co-owners and member of the Dutch royal family, Prince Bernhard of Orange-Nassau, admitted he is relieved that van Overdijk is staying.
"On the one hand, we as shareholders felt flattered by the reporting," he said when asked about the football rumours. "But on the other hand, it was also a wake-up call."