Minardi F1 Team drivers
Christijan Albers
and Robert
Doornbos received a rapturous welcome from
Dutch Formula One fans who flocked to the centre of
Rotterdam in their thousands on Sunday afternoon to the
Monaco aan de Maas (Maas-side Monaco) event.
A crowd, estimated by event
officials at over 200,000, was treated to a series of
spectacular demonstration runs by a variety of
competition vehicles, including Formula One, Formula
3000, Le Mans, Paris-Dakar and Historic Grand Prix cars,
but the decidedly partisan audience reserved its loudest
cheers of the afternoon for Minardi’s Dutch duo, both of
whom received standing ovations at the conclusion of
their individual runs around the 3.4-km temporary street
circuit.
“Wow, what a great event and what
an amazing crowd!” commented Albers after stepping from
his Minardi Cosworth and throwing his helmet into the
midst of a grandstand full of enthusiastic fans. “It’s
terrific to be able to bring Formula One to the centre
of a city like Rotterdam, so people can see and hear
close up what the sport is all about. It’s also an
appropriate way to thank all my Dutch sponsors for the
support they have provided, because without them, I
simply wouldn’t be where I am now. It has been a
wonderful day.”
For team mate, Robert Doornbos,
the event was particularly poignant, as he was born in
Rotterdam. “I have to say, even since this morning,
this had the feeling of a special event."
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A crowd, estimated by event officials at over
200,000, was treated to a series of spectacular
demonstration runs by a variety of competition
vehicles, including Formula One, Formula 3000,
Le Mans, Paris-Dakar and
Historic GP cars |
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Minardi drivers
Christijan Albers and Robert Doornbos
received a rapturous welcome from Dutch Formula 1 fans who flocked
to the centre of Rotterdam on Sunday
afternoon |
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it was terrific to be able to demonstrate the Minardi
Formula One car in front of so many fans,” he observed. “My
compliments to them – they were just so enthusiastic,
yelling and cheering, just like in a football stadium. I
really enjoyed being able to put on a show for them. I’d
also like to thank the team for a great job. I see only
happy faces today, and that’s great.”
Minardi F1 Team Principal,
Paul Stoddart, was
similarly enthusiastic about the day’s activities. “It’s
been an absolutely great programme, and once again,
demonstrates the value of events that bring motor racing in
general, and Formula One in particular, closer to the fans,”
he said. “On a personal note, I would like to extend a
special word of thanks to the Minardi and Cosworth
personnel, who gave up one of the two weekends of Formula
One’s August break to be here today and make it possible for
Christijan and Robert to carry out their demonstration
runs. Their efforts are greatly appreciated by the team,
the drivers and, I’m sure, by the many thousands of
spectators present in Rotterdam today.”
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