The End of the Line for Zandvoort

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands — It is no exaggeration to say that without Max Verstappen's immense popularity, the Dutch Grand Prix would not have existed. Verstappen's emergence as a generational talent after debuting at 17 and winning at 18 electrified Dutch interest in Formula 1, sparking the revival of a race that had dropped off the F1 calendar in 1985 and, before Verstappen, showed little sign of returning.

The 'Oranje Army' of Dutch fans put its full weight behind the Netherlands' newest sports star, adding colour to grandstands across the world in the process. A compelling commercial argument for the race's revival led to the redevelopment of Zandvoort, a track in a coastal town about 30 minutes outside Amsterdam, and in 2021, six years after Verstappen's debut, F1 returned to the Netherlands.

But now the chequered flag is falling on the Dutch GP for the final time. The decision to stop hosting F1 is based on finances, as promoters — lacking backing from the Dutch government — recognize the economic realities of staging the race annually. At the end of 2024, F1 and Zandvoort agreed that 2026 would be the 'final lap,' as the race has been marketed. F1 had no shortage of interest for the free slot, with Portugal and Turkey joining the schedule from next year.

All Aboard the Max Express

Verstappen's impact is so great that the train ferrying fans from Amsterdam to Zandvoort was named in his honour. Every five minutes through the race weekend, the 'Max Express' leaves Amsterdam Centraal station and makes its way to Zandvoort aan Zee, each train carrying hundreds of fans, most of them supporting Verstappen.

The journey became a ritual that summed up why the Dutch GP will be missed. As the train passes through stops at Sloterdijk, Halfweg and Haarlem, groups spend the ride excitedly discussing the day ahead — the races they want to see or the amount of beer they plan to drink. On Friday, two friends named Natasha and Neil, who had won tickets only two days prior, were among those experiencing their first F1 race. Even without diehard knowledge of the sport, the event holds great appeal in the Netherlands.

The Max Express is, of course, mainly filled with Verstappen fans chatting away in Dutch. But it became noticeable year on year just how many different nationalities and colours of merchandise — everything from McLaren's papaya to Ferrari's red and even Aston Martin's green — were present. Plenty of international fans made this a race they wanted to attend.

A Blueprint for Modern F1

The Dutch GP became a shining example in F1 of how to run a race efficiently. None of the 300,000 or so fans making the trip to Zandvoort over the race weekend did so by car, instead using the Max Express or, as is the norm in the Netherlands, riding a bicycle. Promoters and organizers at other grands prix regularly travelled to Zandvoort to learn best practices for moving fans in and out smoothly.

Zandvoort will always go down as one of the big early wins for F1 under Liberty Media. When the American investment group took ownership of the sport in 2017, it wanted to take the sport to what it called 'destination cities.' Miami from 2022 and Las Vegas from 2023 were the impactful, shiny additions. But through its easy access to Amsterdam, Zandvoort was the first event to tick that box for Liberty.

A Festival of Dutch Culture

The walk to the beach cuts through a town normally home to a mere 17,000 people. A central street is decked out in orange and checkered-flag bunting, while housing on either side is covered in Verstappen flags. Residents with patios use them to entertain passing fans, setting up speaker systems — one even had a karaoke machine. The more enterprising sell cans of soda and beer to those thirsty from the 20-minute walk to the track. When the rain suddenly hits, as it regularly does at the seaside, children run around the street offering ponchos for a couple of euros each.

What greets fans past the main gates is a fan zone, big and buzzing, offering a soundtrack of thudding electronic dance music between every on-track session. Big-name Dutch DJ Martin Garrix — also a huge F1 fan — was a regular performer. Zandvoort was one of the first F1 events to tap into the idea of making each race its own festival, making live music central to the whole weekend rather than a side offering.

The theatrics weren't reserved purely for supporters. Zandvoort brought the same kind of vibe to the pre-race grid ceremony, blaring music over the grandstands to amp up the fans as drivers and teams conducted their final preparations, interrupted only by the national anthem. It may not have been to every purist's taste, but it has become standard at other races.

Yet the organizers also ensured the race felt like a true celebration of Dutch culture. That was felt no more powerfully than before the 2023 race, when André Rieu, the violinist and conductor, led a rousing rendition of the national anthem with his orchestra, as fans in the grandstands waved flags to form a giant version of the Dutch flag. Fittingly, Verstappen went on to win that race for a third year in a row.

An Unwaveringly Positive Atmosphere

Inside the track, there was always a passionate and good-natured feeling. Everyone was there for a good time, breeding an unwaveringly positive atmosphere. Fans happily waited for hours to catch a glimpse of their heroes, hanging around at the paddock exit with their flags and banners. That kind of passion is seen across the calendar, yet Zandvoort gave F1 fandom its own unique flavour.

The Dutch GP has been a huge success for F1. And while it will be missed, the promoters' decision to call it a day now makes sense given the financial realities. Its passengers will venture back to Amsterdam tonight — some combination of sunburnt, rained upon, exhausted from their large step count, and maybe a bit tipsy. Yet there is no doubt all will be satisfied with a final day at what has been one of F1's most important events.

It will be missed.