TT Circuit chairman Arjan Bos is happy with the 91st TT that was held today. “How we have all missed this,” he responds.
He is also pleased with the visitor numbers. “I am happy that we have reached the level of 2018 and 2019 again, because those were peak years. And if you reach similar numbers again after two covid years, you can only be very satisfied.” Incidentally, the race day with about 104,000 visitors was not completely sold out. “But we were up against it.”
On Friday, more than 23,000 people came to free practice, a day later in qualifying there were about 30,000. As far as Bos is concerned, progress can still be made there. “We want to work on that, because we can still grow there.”
The TT chairman also has his ideas about this. “For example, with entertainment,” he explains. “Dorna (the MotoGP rights holder, ed.) also wants to cooperate with this. We also want to deploy drivers more, so that they come closer to the public.” Bos also thinks of music at the track.
Bos enjoyed the races today. In particular the performance of Bo Bendsneyder, who finished fifth in Moto2. “I was hoping for the top five beforehand. I’m really happy for him and I’m proud of him.”
Bos and director Peter Oosterbaan also reported that the circuit has extended its contract with the World Superbike World Championship by three years until 2025. The event comes in second place in terms of visitors after the TT. “The contract with rights holder Dorna on the TT runs until 2026. I expect that we will talk about an extension in two years,” said Bos.
Plans to bring Formula 1 to Assen have been put on hold, Bos said. “There are so many requests from all over the world for a Formula 1 race, I don’t think two races in the Netherlands will happen anytime soon.”