During the 2024 Dutch GP, a staffing agency employed sixty workers without valid work permits, as announced by the Dutch Labour Inspectorate on Wednesday. The workers, primarily foreigners from Colombia, were employed in various roles such as dishwashers, kitchen assistants, and catering staff. The agency in question was fined nearly half a million euros.
A Rotterdam-based staffing agency employed sixty foreigners during the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix. According to the Dutch Labour Inspectorate, this is in violation of the Foreign Nationals Employment Act (Wav). The agency was fined 427,500 euros. The company that hired the workers – which failed to verify the workers’ identities and permits – was also fined 405,000 euros. Both parties were additionally warned of potential shutdowns if the violations were repeated.
Underage Workers
During the inspections around the setup and during the 2025 Dutch GP, further violations were discovered, this time at another staffing agency. Inspectors found that eleven young people were working, including two 15-year-olds. They were working long hours and also at night, which is in violation of the Working Hours Act. Penalty reports are still being prepared for these violations. Additionally, a person was found who was impersonating someone else and is not allowed to work in the Netherlands. The investigation into this worker and the involved staffing agency is still ongoing.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that the Dutch GP will be removed from the Formula 1 calendar after the 2026 edition. The race in Zandvoort, which has consistently drawn full stands since its return in 2021, will thus have its provisional last edition in 2026. The organization is still investigating long-term possibilities, but a new contract with Formula 1 has not yet been reached. In the new year, a sprint race will also be organized as a farewell event.
