Formula 1 has announced that the Dutch Grand Prix returns to the FIA Formula 1 World Championship from 2020. An agreement has recently been signed between Formula 1 and Dutch Grand Prix – a partnership formed by SportVibes, TIG Sports and the Circuit Zandvoort – and will run for at least three years.
To support the race, Heineken, one of the Global Partners of Formula 1, will be the Title Sponsor of the event.
Situated not far from Amsterdam, Zandvoort has a long history as a Formula 1 venue, and over the coming months, the facility will be rebuilt with help from Zandvoort town council and several other partners. The track and the infrastructure will be modified in order to meet the standards laid out by the FIA in order to host a Formula 1 World Championship event.
When the 2020 race takes place, it will be the 31st Dutch Grand Prix to count as a round of the World Championship. It was first held in 1952, when it was won by a Ferrari, driven by Alberto Ascari, who went on to win the world championship that year. Apart from the Italian, there were a further 19 winners, of which 12 were also world champions. Jim Clark holds the outright record with four wins to his name. The last Dutch Grand Prix took place in 1985 and will return next year as Formula 1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2020.
Chase Carey, Chairman and CEO, Formula 1, said:
“We are particularly pleased to announce that Formula 1 is returning to race in the Netherlands, at the Zandvoort track. From the beginning of our tenure in Formula 1, we said we wanted to race in new venues, while also respecting the sport’s historic roots in Europe. Next season therefore, we will have a brand new street race that will be held in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, as well the return to Zandvoort, after an absence of 35 years; a track that has contributed to the popularity of the sport all over the world. In recent years, we’ve seen a resurgence of interest in Formula 1 in Holland, mainly due to the enthusiastic support for the talented Max Verstappen, as seen from the sea of orange at so many races. No doubt this will be the dominant color in the Zandvoort grandstands next year.”
Jean Todt, President of the FIA, said:
“I am pleased to see that Zandvoort will be part of the proposed calendar for the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship, and thankful for the hard work of Formula 1 to bring the sport back to the Netherlands. It is a circuit with a long and impressive history of competition and is a great challenge for drivers, and with the popularity of Max Verstappen I’m sure there will be a huge number of fans in attendance. There is now a lot of preparation needed to bring the circuit up to the required safety standards to host a Formula 1 race, and we will work towards this together with Formula 1, KNAF – the Dutch ASN – and the circuit organization.”
Jan Lammers, DGP Sporting Director, said:
“The Zandvoort Circuit is legendary and known worldwide and we’re delighted to see it host a round of the FIA Formula One World Championship once again. To meet the wishes of Formula 1 and the required standards of the FIA the circuit and infrastructure will be modernized within a few areas, with the work completed well ahead of the race in 2020. In addition, the municipality of Zandvoort has recently invested heavily to improve access to the municipality and the circuit.”
So I watched several on-boards of this place last weekend and will someone (preferably The International) explain how a modern F1 car can pass another one on this track?
Also I guess this means the winners get anther cookie-cutter bland Heineken trophy.
That’s what I was thinking. It looks as narrow as Monaco
But unlike Monaco it’s all mostly high speed so there’s not even a chicane area (or a La Rascasse) to attempt a pass in.
This is just gonna be less a race and more a Verstappen inspired parade for the Dutch.
As a Dutch F1 fan I will walk next year with my 9 year old son over the beach to the Dutch Grand Prix in the dunes of Zandvoort. How awesome is that?
I’m confident that the suggested upgrades to this track will improve some overtake opportunities. Also a 14 second pittstop window will be interesting too. The orange armada of Dutch F1 fans will be immense.
Word in the press from F1 drivers is that this circuit is a terrible yawner if you like passing. Upgrades are in the offing, but it seems like those have tended to neuter circuits. So I guess we pray for sand storms and rain?