Great news for Dutch Formula 1 fans! The Dutch GP in Zandvoort will continue to feature on the F1 calendar even after 2025. However, it will no longer be an annual event. The race in the Netherlands will alternate with the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. All parties involved have reached an agreement on this.
An individual directly involved in the negotiations with the American company Liberty Global has confirmed that the deal is essentially finalized. The current contract with the commercial rights holder expires next year. The agreement for the years after 2025 may be officially announced around the upcoming edition of the Dutch GP, which is scheduled for Sunday, August 25 (UST). It is likely that the Belgian GP will kick off the new arrangement in 2026, which would mean that Zandvoort would be up again in 2027.
Last week, Robert van Overdijk, the director of the Zandvoort circuit and also the director of the Dutch GP, heightened the tension by announcing that the future of the race in Zandvoort was not a given. He made this statement in the paddock of Spa-Francorchamps, where the Belgian GP was held last weekend. This uncertainty has now been resolved with the new agreement. However, a preference would undoubtedly have been for an annual event in the North Holland dunes rather than alternating with Spa-Francorchamps.
Increased Competition
The increased competition for a spot on the calendar is largely to blame for this. Many countries are interested in hosting a Formula 1 race, including Turkey, Germany, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and several Asian countries (Thailand, South Korea, and Indonesia).
For this reason, space needs to be created on the already overcrowded calendar (24 races). There has been much speculation in recent months about rotating the races in Belgium and the Netherlands. The race in Imola is reportedly on the list to be removed.
The Dutch GP in Zandvoort returned to the calendar in 2021 after a long absence. Max Verstappen won the editions in 2021, 2022, and 2023. At Liberty Global and FOM (Formula One Management), ‘Zandvoort’ is well-regarded due to the successful combination of entertainment and top-level sport.
‘Promoter of the Year’
Moreover, the Dutch GP excels in terms of sustainability, in part because a whopping 98 percent of visitors travel to the race days in Zandvoort in a sustainable manner – by bike or public transport.
At the end of last year, Van Overdijk received an award as Promoter of the Year and an award in the field of sustainability, the so-called Best Innovative ESG Activation, from CEO Stefano Domenicali at an F1 gala in London. Berhnard van Oranje and Imre van Leeuwen from sports marketing agency SportVibes were also present. The trio had a lot of contact with Liberty Media and FOM in recent months to successfully incorporate the agreements after 2025 into a new contract.
