[NYG]

When was the track built?
Like Silverstone, Zandvoort was first opened in 1948, part of the wave of post-war motorsport enthusiasm that swept across Europe. Originally made up of a mixture of permanent track and public roads that snaked through the sand dunes of the Zandvoort resort town, the Dutch Automobile Racing Club – who initiated the plans for the circuit – brought in 1927 Le Mans winner Sammy Davis to consult on the layout for the original 4.2km track.

When was its first Grand Prix?
Formula 1 arrived in the Dutch dunes in 1952, with Alberto Ascari dominating the race as he led home a 1-2-3 for Ferrari. Formula 1 would go on to race on and off at the track until 1985 – before, in 2019, the announcement came that the championship would return to Zandvoort for 2020, after a 35-year hiatus. The Covid-19 pandemic meant that became 36 years and a 2021 date.

What’s the circuit like?
‘Really quick’, ‘pretty insane’, ‘crazy’ and ‘old-school’ were words used by the current crop of F1 drivers when asked to describe the Zandvoort track that many of them tackled in their junior category days. We’d also add ‘undulating’ to that list. The Zandvoort track swoops and flows through the sand dunes, creating a rollercoaster-like feel to the lap. And while the circuit was modernised in time for F1’s most recent return – including increasing the banking angle at the famous Tarzan corner to an Indianapolis Motor Speedway-trumping 18 degrees – Zandvoort remains a proper, challenging drivers’ track.

Why go?
Zandvoort combines a lot of enticing features for an F1 fan. There’s the historic track, which famously featured in John Frankenheimer’s Grand Prix, and was the scene of many great F1 moments over the years (Gilles Villeneuve’s three-wheeled lap, anyone?). There’s the atmosphere, which with Max Verstappen on the grid is always guaranteed to be electric, and most definitely orange-hued. And then there’s the beachside location, just a 30-minute train ride outside of Amsterdam. What’s not to love?

Where is the best place to watch?
We recommend taking to either the first turn at Tarzan, or to one of the banked corners, either at Arie Luyendijkbocht – the final turn on the track – or Hugenholtzbocht. For F1’s 2021 return, the latter corner was both widened and banked into a parabolic corner, to allow cars to run side by side, and at the same speed, through it. Exciting is an understatement…

https://www.formula1.com/en/racing/2...s/Circuit.html

[EdM5]

Welcome to Amsterdam by the Sea!

[NYG]

Originally Posted by EdM5

Welcome to Amsterdam by the Sea!

One of my favorite tracks. That crazy left hand banked sweeper is amazing.

[///M Power-Belgium]

[///M Power-Belgium]

The Zandvoort banking

[NYG]

Some very cool stuff for the Dutch GP.

For one, Floor Jansen will be performing the Dutch national anthem. She's one of the best singers in the world right now and currently fronting the Finnish band Nightwish.

Second, DRS will be enabled for the banked turn!

Third, Max will be wearing a helmet to honor his father, Jos which is awesome!!!

[lens]

According to most people, this is a Ferrari setup heavy track, so on PAPER, they're the favorites to win here.

But we all know Ferrari will do some kind of stupid strategy.

This will also test RB to see if the TD actually made the car faster, or if it was just Max being Max at Spa.

If we see another half a second to full second faster in qualifying for RB/Max, then WDC/WCC will essentially be done by Singapore I believe.

[NickyC]

Total Max domination on tap for this weekend. This guy is a juggernaut right now and no way he doesn’t win at home for the orange army. Barring a mechanical failure of course.

[NYG]

Originally Posted by chaungo

According to most people, this is a Ferrari setup heavy track, so on PAPER, they're the favorites to win here.

But we all know Ferrari will do some kind of stupid strategy.

This will also test RB to see if the TD actually made the car faster, or if it was just Max being Max at Spa.

If we see another half a second to full second faster in qualifying for RB/Max, then WDC/WCC will essentially be done by Singapore I believe.

Even though on paper, Ferrari should dominate here, ignoring the potential for mistakes - I think the TD will actually hurt Ferrari at Zandvoort a lot and now that we have DRS in the banked turned - Max should gain some good time there.

I also see Max winning the Dutch GP.

[NYG]

Beast-mode.

[HeelToeShift]

Originally Posted by NYG

Even though on paper, Ferrari should dominate here, ignoring the potential for mistakes - I think the TD will actually hurt Ferrari at Zandvoort a lot and now that we have DRS in the banked turned - Max should gain some good time there.

I also see Max winning the Dutch GP.

The way they looked at Spa, Max may win out the rest of the races and set yet again another record for most consecutive races won in a row.

[NYG]

Originally Posted by HeelToeShift

The way they looked at Spa, Max may win out the rest of the races and set yet again another record for most consecutive races won in a row.

Would love to see it honestly.

I'm predicting COTA or Suzuka for Max to secure WDC.

[Humdizzle]

Hard to imagine anyone beating Max at this point. The rest of the field can't match the straightaway speed, can't match the cornering ability, and are eating through tires faster at the same time. I think LeClerc was like 0.2 down on Max in all 3 sectors. Ferrari tried obtaining the fastest lap with softs and an empty fuel tank... but max on mediums was STILL faster.

its a touch call for ferrari/merc right now. when do you go back to the drawing board for next season and give up this year, and experiment with some new setups.

or do you still battle with eachother for 2nd/3rd.

Originally Posted by NYG

Would love to see it honestly.

I'm predicting COTA or Suzuka for Max to secure WDC.

hoping for COTA... got tickets last week. Airbnb prices are ridiculous at the moment because its a relatively small city for an F1 race. so EVERYONE knows its happening.

[NYG]

Originally Posted by Humdizzle

Hard to imagine anyone beating Max at this point. The rest of the field can't match the straightaway speed, can't match the cornering ability, and are eating through tires faster at the same time. I think LeClerc was like 0.2 down on Max in all 3 sectors. Ferrari tried obtaining the fastest lap with softs and an empty fuel tank... but max on mediums was STILL faster.

its a touch call for ferrari/merc right now. when do you go back to the drawing board for next season and give up this year, and experiment with some new setups.

or do you still battle with eachother for 2nd/3rd.




hoping for COTA... got tickets last week. Airbnb prices are ridiculous at the moment because its a relatively small city for an F1 race. so EVERYONE knows its happening.

Hope so for your sake too! Max's win at COTA last year was incredible.

Take lots of pics.

[GuidoK]

Any predictions already?
Last week I thought this track would favor the Ferrari's, but having seen with what dominance Max won Spa, I tend to think that from now on every track is a Max track. Clearly RB and Max found improvement. Maybe it's just setting up the car (Checo said that part of the speed difference between him and Max was a different setup...), but the difference is real.
I was also amaized by the speed of tyre degridation on the ferrari's and good tyre management from Max (Checo also had more tyre degridation than Max)

My prediction:
1. VER
2. PER
3. LEC
4. SAI
5. HAM
6. RUS
7. ALO
8. NOR
9. OCO
10. RIC

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

Any predictions already?
Last week I thought this track would favor the Ferrari's, but having seen with what dominance Max won Spa, I tend to think that from now on every track is a Max track. Clearly RB and Max found improvement. Maybe it's just setting up the car (Checo said that part of the speed difference between him and Max was a different setup...), but the difference is real.
I was also amaized by the speed of tyre degridation on the ferrari's and good tyre management from Max (Checo also had more tyre degridation than Max)

My prediction:
1. VER
2. PER
3. LEC
4. SAI
5. HAM
6. RUS
7. ALO
8. NOR
9. OCO
10. RIC

This is exactly my prediction too, RB seem unstoppable.

[Robin_NL]

Backwards driving in DAF cars(Dutch car brand)* like they did some 40 years ago. LOL

DAF cars have a a 'variomatic' gearbox. They can drive as fast forwards as they can backwards!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variomatic

Cheers
Robin

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Robin_NL

Backwards driving in DAF cars(Dutch car brand)* like they did some 40 years ago. LOL
DAF cars have a a 'variomatic' gearbox. They can drive as fast forwards as they can backwards!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variomatic
Cheers
Robin

Good one Robin_NL

[Robin_NL]

Originally Posted by EdM5

Welcome to Amsterdam by the Sea!

Two weeks ago, Bloemendaal, about just 1 mile(!) from the track. We had a very relaxing and very sunny sunday.



Cheers
Robin

[NYG]

Robin_NL will you be at Zandvoort for the race?

[Robin_NL]

Originally Posted by NYG

Robin_NL will you be at Zandvoort for the race?

No unfortunately. A bunch of friends and my sis in law are there(also working)
But I love to watch it overhere in the local pub on a big screen.

Last time I was at a F1 event was 2013 @ Spa.
Shaking sir Frank Williams'(RIP) and Maldonado's and Bottas' hands @Williams F1.

Cheers
Robin

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by Robin_NL

Two weeks ago, Bloemendaal, about just 1 mile(!) from the track. We had a very relaxing and very sunny sunday.

Off Topic: well into the 19th century, Manhattan's West Side / North West Side was called "Bloomingdale", named by 17th century Dutch settlers of Bloemendaal, a city in Northern-Holland. It was a rural area with a couple of farms and small towns. Bloomingdale Road was opened in 1703 (located between 23rd and 147rd Street nowadays). In Dutch "Bloemendaal" means "Valley of flowers" ("bloemen = flowers and "daal"/"dal" is valley). In 1899, after being widened and paved, Bloomingdale Road was connected to and became an extension of Broadway. Undoubtedly, that's also where clothing giant Bloomingdale's got its name from.

Detailed maps of New York (New Amsterdam till 1664) (zoom in possible):

• 1656 (1685 reprint): see here (U.S. Library of Congress);
• 1674: see here (Free University of Amsterdam).