14/08/2021
NEWS STORY
With just weeks before Max Verstappen races in front of his adoring Orange Army in his home Grand Prix, organiser Jan Lammers has called on fans attending the race to show Lewis Hamilton respect.
At the best of times, the seven-time world champion could expect a boisterous welcome from the partisan fans, but in the wake of the events at Silverstone and the Hungaroring it is anticipated that the Mercedes driver can expect a hard time from local fans.
In the moments after taking pole in Hungary, as he was interviewed on the grid, Hamilton was almost drowned out by the booing from the stands, the Briton responding to the situation by saying it "fuels him".
However, while nobody expects the sort of 'Welcome to Hell' message that Manchester United faced when facing Galtasaray in 1993, Hamilton, who now leads the championship, can expect a tough ride.
Race organiser, and former racer, Jan Lammers, has called on fans attending the event to surprise Hamilton by welcoming him and showing respect.
"Sport must fraternise and we must not get into hooligan situations like with football," he told nu.nl. "It's also emotion, you don't turn an Ajax fan into a Feyenoord fan and vice versa.
"It's logical that everyone has their own preferences," he admitted, "but let's do it in a civilised way, in such a way that we surprise Hamilton with our sportsmanship and hospitality.
"We are talking about a seven-time world champion who can be compared to a Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo," he said of the Arsenal (groan) supporter. "You have to give them a big applause in a stadium and not make assumptions on just one incident."
As a court in Haarlem gives final approval to the race, having rejected claims that local government was wrong in issuing the necessary permits to the circuit, following objections from environmental groups, Lammers is confident the event will be a success, especially with the easing of COVID restrictions.
"We hope and expect that sports events will take place from September 1 as we are used to," he said. "We are not worried. It is a matter of tackling it and having confidence."