Legendary Zandvoort back on F1 calendar?!

BrainsBush · Nov 2, 2018

Formula One Management already has sent an offer to Zandvoort track owner our Royal Prince of Oranje Bernard Jr. Only thing he has to do is just sign the contract and F1 is back in the Netherlands in 2020. Last race was in 1985. The age when I was in my teenager years

(Dutch) Sources:
https://www.telegraaf.nl/sport/2752533/formule-1-kiest-voor-zandvoort
https://www.gpupdate.net/nl/f1-nieuws/368370/f1-doet-circuit-zandvoort-aanbod-voor-race-vanaf-2020/

Appie Kuipers · Nov 2, 2018

Would be great to see the Dutch GP back at Zandvoort, it needs to be rebuild. Last visit at Dutch GP, the day Piers Courage died (r.i.p). There will be a juge orange crowd.

Frank van der Heide · Nov 5, 2018

This is what it will be like when the Dutch F1 GP finally returns to the dunes at Zandvoort in 2020. Each year the Jumbo racing days with Max Verstappen attract 120.000 visitors to Zandvoort. Imagine what happens when F1 returns to the Netherlands. I guess the whole country will be in a coma for at least 3 days ;-)

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josap11 · Nov 7, 2018

Zandvoort is a great track but I'm afraid it wouldn't be much good for racing with the current cars. In terms of racing I think it would be between Monaco and Hungary which is not a good thing.

It would be great to see the current cars setting quali laps there though, that would be amazing I think.

In addition to that, with Hanoi being announced for 2020 and there already being 21 tracks on the current calendar, I don't think we should have more races. Yes, there are some tracks on the current calendar that I would really like to see go but 21 races already is way too much imo as it starts to take away from the moment if literally half the weekends in the year would be F1 weekends.

Antony Snook · Nov 9, 2018

Great track and a good thing. The mode of F1 tracks is going towards street circuits that tend to bring a banger racing feel, full of collisions and carnage. Ridiculously long pace car sessions, while track is cleared up. A track like this can have a spin or accident and it will be so far from the track the race will just keep going. Hense more racing and less pace car, Making the race the actual distance of 200 miles.

Appie Kuipers · Nov 27, 2018

Date is set, 1-3 May 2020, which track is still open.

Frank van der Heide · Nov 27, 2018

Race already done: Max wins in 2020

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BrainsBush · Mar 4, 2019

Some new F1 track development from the Netherlands. Assen no longer in the running for a F1 race
Zandvoort work in progress. I think our royal Dutch prince needs to sell some of his property appartments in Amsterdam to sponsor the $$ needed to renovate the Zandvoort track and all the logistics/accomodation improvements.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/zandvoort-only-option-dutch-gp/4347213/

nona96 · Mar 4, 2019

I guess f1 era is back!!!. is it? Well, this information along with free msp accounts was very helpful. Thanks for being such a kind and welcoming community. Found this information very delightful.

Bram Hengeveld · Mar 4, 2019

BrainsBush said:
Assen no longer in the running for a F1 race

"Assen" kindly disagrees with that. According to the chairman Vaessen they are still in talks with FOM about bringing F1 to Assen.

I think it could also belong there infrastructure-wise as Zandvoort will be a nightmare of epic proportions. Took me half a day to get away from the DTM a few years back and I can't imagine the absolutely logistical horror that a F1 GP will bring. With the lack of proper roads going to and from Zandvoort, this is not going to end well.

Imo the best place to host a grand prix in the Netherlands is in the city center of Rotterdam! In the heart of a massive city, close to an airport, great highways all around and a massive harbor around the corner.

But hey ho it seems they want to sell the "Amsterdam Grand Prix" to the people with Zandvoort.

When will people realize that The Netherlands is so much more than just our capital

. We haz windmills and cheezzes!

muzikant · Mar 4, 2019

From historic... Zandvoort is my choice..
But Assen is by far the best track for F1

Bram Hengeveld · Mar 4, 2019

Easiest would be to just upgrade Spa-Francorchamps a bit and rebrand it as the BeNeLux Grand Prix. As Max is more Belgian than Dutch it's more his home Grand Prix anyway than Zandvoort or Assen.

If I can choose to have a three hour drive to Spa or a 8 hours traffic jam around Zandvoort I go for the first option

That said, if the GP is really returning to the Netherlands I am absolutely going even if I have to walk to get there.

BrainsBush · Apr 8, 2019

Zandvoort back on the F1 calendar. Contract signed for next five years.

josap11 · Apr 8, 2019

BrainsBush said:
Zandvoort back on the F1 calendar. Contract signed for next five years.

Yeah formule1.nl is reporting that a contract has been signed according to "sources": https://www.formule1.nl/nieuws/nederlandse-gp-keert-na-35-jaar-terug-op-zandvoort/

I have not been able to find any other sources and personally not sure about the reliability of the source but that would be a very interesting development.

Andrew Harper · Apr 10, 2019

josap11 said:
Yeah formule1.nl is reporting that a contract has been signed according to "sources": https://www.formule1.nl/nieuws/nederlandse-gp-keert-na-35-jaar-terug-op-zandvoort/

I have not been able to find any other sources and personally not sure about the reliability of the source but that would be a very interesting development.

Interesting news, however I have one worry (and this was the same for Brands when the GP loop was looked at many years ago).

The track as it is, surely isn't safe enough for F1 cars? So it will either have huge run-offs added or the track will be chopped up and altered by a certain Mr. Tilke and that scares me! lol

josap11 · Apr 10, 2019

Andrew Harper said:
Interesting news, however I have one worry (and this was the same for Brands when the GP loop was looked at many years ago).

The track as it is, surely isn't safe enough for F1 cars? So it will either have huge run-offs added or the track will be chopped up and altered by a certain Mr. Tilke and that scares me! lol

The FIA has already been to Zandvoort and has said that it would be possible to host a race with minimal changes (think larger pit boxes and replace some barriers) but the track would remain intact and would luckily not become a Tilkedrome.

Jan Lammers who is a former Dutch F1 driver and is currently involved with both Zandvoort and hosting a possible race there has since come out and said that it would be very premature to call it a done deal. They have advanced in conversations but it is not a done deal yet.

My biggest worry, as I've said before, isn't the possible changes but the race itself. I have no doubt that it would be spectacular to see the modern F1 cars being thrown around in qualifying but in the race? It would be marginally better then the Hungaroring but still not a great track for F1 cars. It's great for things like DTM or F3 cars but for F1, I'm not sure unfortunately.

Mitja Bonca · Apr 10, 2019

Thats exactly right (read comment on the end of the video):

That I don`t talk about safety, which this track just cannot provide in any ways, regarding to modern standards of F1. Cars are simply too fast for this track.

Sky · Apr 11, 2019

they race at suzuka, which is basically figure 8 zandvoort so they'll be fine

Fat-Alfie · Apr 11, 2019

I was just thinking the same thing. And Suzuka gave us one of the best races last season, too

Andrew Harper · Apr 11, 2019

josap11 said:
My biggest worry, as I've said before, isn't the possible changes but the race itself. I have no doubt that it would be spectacular to see the modern F1 cars being thrown around in qualifying but in the race? It would be marginally better then the Hungaroring but still not a great track for F1 cars. It's great for things like DTM or F3 cars but for F1, I'm not sure unfortunately.

Yes the track is about 98% fine for F1 cars, but I suppose like the older Hungaroring it could do with a main straight a few 100 metres longer. To allow the DRS to take effect more.

Whether you love DRS or not it does allow the F1 cars to pass on tracks that would normally find it very tough.

Having said that though, Liberty Media did say they wanted to try and bring more traditional venues back and I applaud them for trying if nothing else.