Max Verstappen is preparing to compete in what could be his last Dutch GP in Zandvoort, and he laments the end of the race on the Formula 1 calendar. The four-time world champion, however, highlighted that he will continue to have opportunities to drive on the circuit even without the category.
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The Dutch GP will leave the calendar after the 2026 season, making the race after the current August break a possible farewell from Verstappen to his fans at an official F1 event. The return of Zandvoort to the championship in 2021 was strongly related to the success of the Dutch driver, who won three of the five editions held since then and stood on the podium in all of them.
After the Hungarian GP, Verstappen said he intends to enjoy the special event alongside the fans: “It’s my home GP, so I will certainly enjoy it a lot. I also hope from a driving point of view,” he said, also highlighting the importance of the crowd and the work done to bring the race back to the calendar.
Even with F1’s farewell, Verstappen does not believe that Zandvoort will stop being part of his life: “We won’t have a Formula 1 GP there, but there are many other categories that still race on the circuit, and if you want to do a track day, the circuit will not disappear,” he said.
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Verstappen also recalled the impact of Zandvoort’s return to the F1 calendar and described the work done to host the category again as impressive: “It’s a shame, but on the other hand, the circuit is still there and I’m sure I will do more laps there. It is what it is,” he added.
The Dutch driver’s statements were accompanied by Lando Norris and Kimi Antonelli, who also praised the atmosphere created at the Dutch GP in recent years and lamented Zandvoort’s exit from the calendar.
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