How do you say goodbye to a track that’s brought so much energy, showcased hard racing, and formed so many memories in Formula 1? Do you have more than one race over a weekend? Fill the circuit with thousands of passionate fans? Perhaps you have a race full of ups and downs, drama and chaos, celebrations and letdowns.
Well, that’s exactly how the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix unfolded.
A Sprint weekend that gave us so much drama, so many battles, and heartache, especially for home hero Max Verstappen. The “Orange Army” filled the circuit with spectacular energy all weekend long, setting an all-time attendance record of 325,000 for the F1 Dutch GP.
It was a fitting way to make history at Zandvoort. But to understand why saying goodbye feels so significant, we have to look back at where it all began.
Where it all began
Formula 1’s journey at Zandvoort started in 1952, just the third year of the Formula One World Championship, when Alberto Ascari won the first F1 Dutch Grand Prix with Ferrari. From there, the track built a truly rich history in F1, witnessing legends like Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss and Jim Clark take on its fast, challenging layout. Clark remains the most successful driver in Dutch Grand Prix history, with four wins.
It’s also where James Hunt claimed his first-ever F1 victory in 1975, and where Niki Lauda took his final Grand Prix win in 1985. Decades later, Max Verstappen became the first and only Dutchman to win his home Grand Prix, taking victory when F1 returned to Zandvoort in 2021.
And that return was something special. After 36 years away from the calendar, Zandvoort came back at a time when Verstappen’s popularity had transformed the Netherlands into one of F1’s most passionate fanbases. When Max won in 2021, the crowd went ballistic. Orange flares, chanting, dancing, screaming, living every moment of the race. You could feel their energy through the screen.
Across its history, Zandvoort became a platform for the Dutch Grand Prix to connect the Netherlands with audiences around the world. Global media coverage, international visitors, and the unmistakable atmosphere of Dutch motorsport turned the race into a powerful showcase for the country. The event’s return was also made possible through public-private cooperation, helping establish the Dutch Grand Prix as both a sporting event and a global cultural connection.
The “Orange Army”
To many fans, what makes this track extra special are the people who fill the circuit: one of the most passionate fan groups in the sport, the “Orange Army.”
They travel around the world in support of their home hero, Max Verstappen, repping the iconic Dutch orange seen at sporting events across the Netherlands. But at Zandvoort, it’s their turf, and they fill it with all the fun energy that comes with the Dutch spirit. A sea of fans in unmistakable “Oranjegekte” fills every corner of the circuit.
Their passion is captivating. Their energy puts a smile on your face. Even when the outcome isn’t what they were expecting for the driver they support, they still manage to enjoy the racing, celebrate together, and dance throughout the day.
That kind of atmosphere has become part of what makes the Dutch Grand Prix so recognizable around the world. The fans themselves have become cultural ambassadors, carrying Dutch identity and enthusiasm into the international F1 community.
An emotional goodbye
With this being the last time F1 would race at Zandvoort for the foreseeable future, most F1 fans had a few wishes leading into the weekend. Great racing and Max Verstappen on the podium were two of the biggest hopes.
Being the first Grand Prix weekend after the summer break, and a Sprint weekend at that, meant expectations were high.
The weekend started with Mercedes and McLaren at the forefront. George Russell secured Sprint Pole and turned it into a Sprint victory, while Lando Norris took Pole Position for Sunday’s main race, with Russell alongside him and young Italian Kimi Antonelli in P3. But throughout the weekend, one question remained: where is Max Verstappen, and what would he do for his final F1 home race?
Across its history, Zandvoort became a platform for the Dutch Grand Prix to connect the Netherlands with audiences around the world.
Hopes were high that he could pull off a masterclass on Sunday. Starting from P7 in tricky conditions after rain hit the track, it felt like the kind of situation made for Max. He thrives in moments like this.
But sadly, the man most people were there to see crashed out on the opening lap. Verstappen lost control of his Red Bull at the final corner and hit the barriers heavily, bringing out the red flag. Thankfully, he walked away from the crash uninjured.
In that moment, you could feel the hopes of Verstappen fans around the world slip away.
As the shock subsided, the intense racing that fans had been hoping for began to unfold. Hard battles throughout the field, different race leaders, controversial strategies, drama and chaos that never seemed to stop.
At the end of it all, reigning World Champion Lando Norris stood on the top step of the podium, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli in P2 and his Mercedes teammate George Russell in P3. It wasn’t the podium many fans had hoped to see, with Verstappen on its steps, but it was a race that delivered entertainment, strategy, controversy and emotion until the very end.
Farewell, Zandvoort
From Alberto Ascari’s first victory in 1952, through the legends of Fangio, Moss, Clark, Hunt and Lauda, to the return of F1 and the rise of the Orange Army around Max Verstappen, Zandvoort has been part of Formula 1’s story for generations.
Now, after its final Grand Prix, the circuit leaves behind a legacy that reaches far beyond the track itself. It connected fans from the Netherlands with F1 audiences around the world, gave the sport one of its most unforgettable atmospheres, and created memories that will stay with fans long after the final checkered flag.
Thank you, Zandvoort. Till next time.
