The Dutch Grand Prix to return after 35 years

The Dutch  Grand  Prix  will return  to  the  FIA  Formula  1  World Championship, from 2020, after a 35-year absence.

The three-year agreement between Formula 1 and Dutch Grand Prix partnership – formed by SportVibes, TIG Sports and Circuit Zandvoort –  sees the Dutch Grand Prix hosted at the Circuit Zandvoort, a major beach resort in The Netherlands.

The Circuit of Zandvoort has a long history as a Formula 1 venue, and over the coming months, the facility will  be  rebuilt  with  help  from Zandvoort  town  council  and  several  other  partners.  The  track and  the infrastructure will be modified in order to meet the standards laid out by the FIA in order to host a Formula 1 World Championship event.

When  the  2020  race  takes  place,  it  will  be  the  31st Dutch  Grand  Prix  to  count  as  a  round  of  the  World Championship. It was first held in 1952, when it was won by a Ferrari, driven by Alberto Ascari, who went on to win the world championship that year. Apart from the Italian, there were a further 19 winners, of which 12 were also world champions. Jim Clark holds the outright record with four wins to his name. The last  Dutch  Grand  Prix  took  place  in  1985 and  will  return  next  year  as  FORMULA  1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2020.

Chase Carey, Chairman and Chief Executive, Formula 1, said: “We  are  particularly  pleased  to  announce  that  Formula  1  is  returning  to  race  in  the  Netherlands,  at  the Zandvoort track. From the beginning of our tenure in Formula 1, we said we wanted to race in new venues, while also respecting the sport’s historic roots in Europe. Next season therefore, we will have a brand new street race that will be held in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, as well the return to Zandvoort, after an absence of 35 years; a track that has contributed to the popularity of the sport all over the world.

“In recent years, we’ve seen a resurgence of interest in Formula 1 in Holland, mainly due to the enthusiastic support for the talented Max Verstappen, as seen from the sea of orange at so many races. No doubt this will be the dominant colour in the Zandvoort grandstands next year.”

Jean Todt, President of the FIA, said: “I am pleased to see that Zandvoort will be part of the proposed calendar for the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship, and thankful for the hard work of Formula 1 to bring the sport bring the sport back to the Netherlands. It is a circuit with a long and impressive history of competition and is a great challenge for  drivers,  and  with  the  popularity  of  Max  Verstappen  I’m  sure  there  will  be  a  huge  number  of  fans  in attendance.”