Dutch Grand Prix: Preview

The seaside resort of Zandvoort has long attracted vacationers from nearby capital Amsterdam, and in the late 1930s a race was held around the town’s streets. After the Second World War a permanent track was laid out through Zandvoort’s sand dunes and elite-level motorsport graced the Netherlands for decades. 

After 1985 Formula 1’s Dutch Grand Prix was discontinued, and Zandvoort’s layout was shortened, but the rise of national hero Max Verstappen raised the notion of the event returning to the championship. In 2021, after a year’s delay due to the pandemic, the Dutch Grand Prix was revived, and Formula 1 returned to the venue for the first time in 36 years. 

Circuit Zandvoort is old school and while the facility was brought up to Formula 1 standards – with redesigned run-offs and barriers – the layout remained fundamentally unchanged. The circuit features a mixture of fast and flowing curves, most notably the right-hand plunge through Scheivlak, alongside slower and more technical turns in the middle sector. 

The most striking revisions came to two corners that had banking added, providing an additional challenge, while promoting a variety of racing lines. Turn 3, Hugenholtz, has 18-degree banking while the final corner, Arie Luyendykbocht, features 15–18-degree banking as it propels drivers towards the pit straight. 

Kevin Magnussen has experience of Circuit Zandvoort in its current guise from 2022 though Nico Hulkenberg has never before competed at the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix. However, Hulkenberg claimed multiple victories at Zandvoort during his junior days in Formula 3.  

 

Guenther Steiner - Team Principal

First off – how was your break? Was it adrenalin-fuelled as we’ve often seen on ‘Drive to Survive’ with the likes of mountain climbing and jet-skiing, or did you opt for a slightly more serene vacation this time around?

“It was quite a good holiday, I went to Sicily for a few days and then I did some hiking – no big mountains this year, I didn’t have enough time to prepare – but it was a good time with the family, just trying to rest a little bit. As always, there’s a little bit of work to be done and you’re following what is going on in Formula 1, but it was quite quiet except from I experienced some quite adventurous writing from some people, but it was entertaining, to say the least. Nevertheless, it was a good holiday.”

 

What can you share with regard to the ongoing development of the VF-23 in terms of when upgrades will be added over the coming races and how crucial that work is subsequently to the design of the VF-24?

“We have got some upgrades coming for Zandvoort, on the brake ducts and front wing, but the team is working flat out to make some modifications to the car which will be coming later on in the year and I can’t give an exact timeline because of the shutdown. We keep on working, and there are two reasons for this. Firstly, to try and make the car go quicker as you always do with upgrades but also to know the direction for the VF-24, which is as important, if not more important. There’s a lot of hard work going on, it’s almost as intense as being in December developing the new car.” 

Zandvoort is always a sea of orange as the Dutch not only come out in strength to support their home race but notably their double World Champion Max Verstappen. Sadly Nico and Kevin don’t have home races in their respective countries of Germany and Denmark but would you like to see Formula 1 make stops in those markets in future seasons?

“With the popularity of Formula 1 right now, I think we could race everywhere and sell out the venue. Obviously, there are contracts in place and FOM is managing this, but I think a race in Germany would be appropriate in my opinion. It’s a big ‘car’ country, there’s a German driver and there’s a lot of history within Formula 1. At the moment, it’s the only market that is a bit in decline, everywhere else is growing, so of course a race would help, and it would give millions of fans in Germany a chance to see a race in their home country. 

“Denmark’s also got a lot of history in Formula 1, now having Kevin here is what they want and there was a plan to have a race in Copenhagen which would’ve been fantastic. It’s a fantastic city and I think they would’ve been ready, but I think the politicians couldn’t agree, so therefore it was decided not to have it for now but hopefully, that idea comes back.”