Even though it’s the home race of his rival Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton thinks Formula 1 belongs at Zandvoort – rotation after 2025?
Currently, the Netherlands is riding a wave of euphoria thanks to Max Verstappen. So it is hardly surprising that the circuit in Zandvoort has extended its option to continue the contract, which originally ran until 2023, by two years. The Dutch Grand Prix will be held up to and including 2025 – and then?
It is well known that Formula 1 is striving to enter more and more markets. With 24 races, it has basically reached the point that it wants to maximise in the near future. This means that if more races are added, others have to be dropped. Above all, the races in Europe, which are currently still in the majority, are at risk.
Spa has been on the brink of cancellation more than once, if the comeback in South Africa had not fallen through, and even a farewell to the most famous Grand Prix in Monaco cannot be ruled out. So what will happen to Zandvoort, which cannot keep up with other races in terms of infrastructure and seems a little out of date – despite extensive modernisation measures?
A lot is likely to come down to the Max Verstappen factor. The Red Bull driver, who basically has two home races thanks to a Belgian passport, hopes that both Spa and Zandvoort tracks will remain part of the calendar. “I think a lot of tracks deserve a place on the Formula One calendar, but on the other hand the Formula One organisation wants to make a lot of money, that’s clear,” he said.
Rotation from 2025?
“It’s always a difficult combination. But in the end, a rotation could work for both tracks,” Verstappen said. The principle of rotation between tracks is a topic that has been discussed for some time, but has not been applied in recent years.
At Zandvoort, plans have already been made with this idea: “FOM will of course have to decide how to deal with it, but the rumours you hear say that the number of races in Europe will definitely be reduced, for example by a rotation system,” confirms Grand Prix director Robert van Overdijk.
“There are many races in Europe. So it is no longer a given. I even think we have to take into account that after 2025 we won’t be on the calendar every year,”
Hamilton: One of the best tracks
Until then, the Grand Prix will take place at least three more times – and even Lewis Hamilton is looking forward to those races, even though Zandvoort is the home race of his rival Verstappen. He believes that Formula 1 belongs at Zandvoort, even though there is always talk about overtaking being very difficult at the circuit.
“I don’t know how many overtakes there have been over the years, but to do a lap here is great,” says the Mercedes driver. “And I think it’s a really good fit. “
“Of course there’s such an incredible fan base here for this sport,” he says, knowing what makes the Grand Prix special. “The fans here are insanely passionate. And we see them travelling all over the world. So I think they deserve to have a Grand Prix here.”
For Hamilton, Zandvoort is even “one of the best tracks ever built” – just a bit longer it could be.
Fond Formula 3 memories
Fond memories of successful Formula 3 times at Zandvoort when he won a championship here. “Our performance was really fantastic,” he says, particularly raving about the on-track experience with the original gears of the Formula 3 cars.
“You had to pull a lever to put it in gear and it was just a fantastic track to drive like that,” he says. “So I was looking forward to coming back here and racing in Formula 1, especially because of the banked corners.”
“And it’s even more awesome than with a Formula 3 car. I just wish we had a gearstick with a gear knob. Because that was a cool element. “
