F1 | Zandvoort Banking Now Complete

Paul Jeffrey · Feb 28, 2020

The first images of the completed new banking at Circuit Zandvoort have been released - and it looks spectacular.

When Formula One announced that the Dutch Grand Prix would return to the calendar for 2020, many were left concerned that the fantastic but tight and technical circuit wouldn't necessarily produce good racing with today's Formula One machinery - something that the circuit owners have been quick to address with a number of key modifications to this historic circuit.

Of the changes, the most high profile has to be the introduction of two new banked corners at both turn three and 14. Keeping the original profile of the circuit, but adding a brand new challenge that should help increase overtaking opportunities has been a key desire of the Zandvoort organisers - and with the introduction of banked corners, something the sport hasn't seen since the Indianapolis Grand Prix back in 2005, Zandvoort hopes the Dutch Grand Prix this May will offer a unique and spectacular challenge for the drivers to overcome.

The track changes have been created by Italian company Dromo Circuit Design, based on the initial idea first proposed by the late FIA Race Director Charlie Whiting.

“We did something that we thought would be really formidable to drive, that has no equal at any other racetracks,” said Dromo’s founder Jarno Zaffelli.

“Turn 14 is quite ample and wide, making it full throttle, whereas the transition between Turn 2 and Turn 3 has a lot of elevation and banking changes. All of your horizon is tilting, all of your perception is evolving, you feel like you are being squeezed". “It’s like being in a corkscrew, depending on the line that you are following.”

Original Source: F1

RoccoTTS · Feb 28, 2020

TL98_RD · Feb 28, 2020

Looks good (i honestly thought worse); can't wait to see an AC mod of it

F_B · Feb 28, 2020

When I first read that they want to change Zandvoort for F1 I was alarmed (thinking of parking lot etc) but now I think they have done something unique. However I still think F1 is too fast for this track but the location is nice and the dutch can finally see Max in their country.

bsmooth · Feb 28, 2020

Should be good, I see the squeeze factor, but the banking will hopefully help with that and give some good passing zones.

Chobonator · Feb 28, 2020

2021 Phoenix GP confirmed.

LN-virtualpaddock · Feb 28, 2020

TL98_RD said:
Looks good (i honestly thought worse); can't wait to see an AC mod of it

That's what I've been thinking as well. Can't wait to try the Formula Hybrid at this track.

KittX · Feb 28, 2020

I love the increased banking of T4 and the dip inside, but tbh not a fan at all of banked last corner. I loved it before, it was a very patience-testing corner. Now it's just meaningless.

Dr. Death · Feb 28, 2020

Im liking the concept of a short track without having it be in a city. The track is about half a mile longer than monaco track but its gonna have a lot more room for overtaking the slower cars, so its likely we will see 170mph top speed max aero F1 cars there.

tlsmikey · Feb 28, 2020

Sorry, not a fan. Instead of grass hills and sand traps we now have concrete walls and more asphalt. Every time F1 touches a track they turn it into a sea of concrete and asphalt.

Toonces · Feb 28, 2020

I smell the cold, dead hand of Hermann Tilke. Too bad they didn't simply restore it to the original Hugenholtz layout. I'm not a fan of 320-deg. switchbacks, one after the other after the other. If the FIA is so fond of 1st-gear corners, why don't they just put the Transfăgărășan hillclimb on the F1 calendar?

Eckhart von Glan · Feb 28, 2020

that onboard is brilliant, says more than a hundred words. i can see why they did the changes to that tight left-hander though I do not like what it looks like now, a sea of concrete, yikes. I fully support the criticism about the changes made to the last turn, it's dumbing the track down. I am extremely glad the rest of the track has not been touched, I feel its basic character is still intact, so thx to developers for that.

KittX · Feb 28, 2020

I don't follow the "sea of concrete" arguments though. Apart from T4 and last corner most of the runoffs are unchanged. You still have those grass hills and banked sand traps. TBH i expected more extensive runoffs, in the chicane especially. Also I expected T6/T7 curbs flattened out more, as the high curbs in those very places lead to a lot of trouble. Surprisingly, all other curbs were flattened, apart from those.
I'm glad that the nature of the track is indeed untouched, and the T4 being opened up a little seems very good decision to me... But that last corner... yikes.

DND · Feb 28, 2020

Although I would prefer tracks to remain 'as is' the overall integrity and spirit are still there. Hope we never see a revision like what happened to Hockenheim, so I guess I'm more relieved than anything Zandvoort wasn't destroyed.

Ramipril · Feb 28, 2020

What in f###'s name have they done the the final corner? That was a real make or break section of the track, where you made it through the rest of the circuit and you really want to wind open the throttle but you are balancing your hunger for a good run down the start/finish with the inevitable pull of physics trying to throw you off the track. With the dumb amount of aero on F1 cars why did they even need to change this section?

I know people always say Zandvoort died years ago with the vast changes that have happened over the decades but this is actually the final nail for me, that was my favourite section of the track for the kinds of cars I like to drive.

boomn · Feb 28, 2020

The T1 runoff area has been rebuilt with an interesting new hyrbrid paved/gravel idea, that I believe came from Alexander Wurz. They added a paved section of runoff, but only in the area directly in line with the main staight. The rest of the turn has gravel to the edge of the circuit.

This seems to me like a good compromise between what the FIA wants for safety, and what many others want for natural track limits that have consequences for drivers going wide. I hope they apply this to other tracks like the Hungaroring and Red Bull Ring that often have crowds of drivers going through the runoff on turn 1/lap 1

Turk · Feb 28, 2020

It looks like they did extensive resurfacing. I think the upgrades are good but not overboard.

I really like the rain upgrade, they should definitely keep that.

Benutzername · Feb 28, 2020

I am positively surprised. Yes, its different, but that obviously was inevitable. Overall i expected much bigger changes; this seems much more subtle and well incorporated. Nothing too crazy.
I'd say it still is an interesting track, it still has a similar spirit but its ready for more than before. This could be really benefitial for the area, similar to what we've seen with Spielberg.

BrainsBush · Feb 28, 2020

Next couple of weeks extensive testing. They used a new mix of tarmac/asphalt compound and also Pirelli wants to do some tyre testing. And some drivers already tested these other compound tyre in Barcelona this week.