Zandvoort hosts final Dutch Grand Prix as Verstappen and thousands of fans say farewell
Max Verstappen, tens of thousands of fans and Formula One gathered at Zandvoort on 23 August 2026 for the circuit’s final Dutch Grand Prix, a farewell occasion staged at the windblown seaside track in the North Sea dunes.
The event drew an Orange Army of tens of thousands of Verstappen supporters who packed the grandstands and partied in the streets late into the evening; since the circuit returned to the calendar in 2021 after a 36-year absence it has been one of the liveliest races.
Zandvoort first hosted a round of the world championship in 1952, two years after the inaugural season, and this year’s race was the 36th Dutch Grand Prix; the venue is a narrow, twisty layout with 14 corners, the second-shortest on the calendar after Monaco, and includes named turns such as Tarzan and the banked Hugenholtz.
The home crowd converged around four-time world champion Verstappen, who won the first three editions from pole position and, the report said, helped send Red Bull shirts flying off the shelves while beer sales soared. “It’s definitely going to be missed, for sure,” said the four-time world champion Verstappen. “It’s always been really fun to drive. Even if I would not be Dutch, you know, to drive here would have been always amazing. And, of course, for me being Dutch, it made it that extra bit special.”
McLaren’s world champion Lando Norris, who has a Belgian mother and won from pole in 2024, was on pole again this year and expressed disappointment at the circuit’s departure, citing the atmosphere and fans. “I like just the event itself, the fans. Although most of them are here for one driver, it’s still always just a fun event, good atmosphere, good passion, and that’s what you want,” said Norris, on pole again this year. “I prefer going to smaller races where the fans are more exciting and the event is better than a different place where you just have less of that. So, this is definitely up there and a lot better than a lot of the races we have on the calendar even currently. “It’s a shame, but it’s also not our choice. I think if it was a driver’s choice, we would probably like to keep it in.”
The report noted Zandvoort remains one of the circuits yet to see a Lewis Hamilton Formula One victory, while the seven-time world champion has fond memories from success in his junior career. “It’s just such an incredible circuit,” said the Ferrari driver. “Great crowd, obviously. Very special, particularly for Max as he has the incredible support through the weekend, but they really create the atmosphere.”
Local organisers had announced in 2024 that they would go out on a high in 2026 when the contract ended, a decision made after weighing up the financial risks.