F1 at Zandvoort: It was great, but that's enough for now

Let’s start with the positives. Before the Dutch GP returned to Zandvoort, there was a great deal of skepticism. How could you bring F1 back to the logistically impossible Zandvoort in 2021? With barely any access roads to and from the village and the sea as a natural barrier, it’s almost impossible to host an event the size of an F1 race here.

The Dutch GP organisation proved doubters wrong. It turned out it could be done, as the first edition in 2021 showed. By organising as much as possible via public transport and bicycles, the Dutch GP as an F1 event was feasible.

Beyond the logistical nightmare, Zandvoort also proved strong in organising entertainment. CEO Stefano Domenicali has been very clear about how Zandvoort served as an example for many other races. The pre-race performances by, among others, Emma Heesters, De La Fuente and Davina Michelle also did not disappoint.

Still, it feels in every way as though not much has improved since year one. Yes, the entertainment is still top-notch and the grandstands are mostly full, but many of the problems that arose in the first edition are still present five years later. A general trend seems to be that after year one, the organisation didn’t really take big steps to improve.

For example, there has been no progress in crowd control over the last four years. Where other Grands Prix, such as China, guide people along a strict route to the venue, outside the Zandvoort fences it’s every person for themselves. This creates peak congestion in and around the circuit. Visitors spend over an hour getting to a FanZone or stand in line for hours at Zandvoort Station.

There’s no visible improvement for people working in the paddock either. It starts at the parking lot, where you have to wait for the first shuttle bus. That shuttle bus is often delayed because cyclists use the same route. Once you’re on the bus, you end up in a near wild-west situation between buses and cyclists who sometimes barely avoid each other. Apparently, an alternative route for cyclists can’t be found, and it’s a regular occurrence for a cyclist to bang on the bus windows because something doesn’t suit them.

The shuttle bus then drops you off at the NH hotel. You have to walk around to get to the other side. Once on the other side, the entrance for “Crew,” and thus for everyone arriving from that side, is across the street. So you have to cross again, meaning more minutes of waiting before you’re allowed to cross as various vehicles pass.

And you’re still not there, because at the Shell there are golf carts to take you from there to the paddock. In practice, it’s better to walk that stretch. It takes about fifteen minutes, but otherwise you’ll spend at least that long waiting for the first cart. Here too, they opted for a single-lane width, even though there’s clearly room for an out-and-back route. Because of this choice, there is constant congestion and huge wait times.

These are the kinds of small things that make the trip for the average journalist from the parking lot to the actual paddock easily take 30 to 45 minutes. Add the travel time from the hotel/apartment and you’re well over an hour door to door.

And is working in the paddock itself practical? No. Teams and media complain bitterly about the illogical layout. Between the paddock, where the hospitality units are, and the garages, where teams have to work, there’s another substantial walk. In that space, fans can easily approach drivers and team personnel, meaning they’re constantly harassed when moving from one place to another.

The media centre isn’t exactly soundproof either. Throughout the weekend you feel the thump of the bass from the next sing-along track, and on Sunday evening, when the final stories need to be filed, the volume gets cranked up again to entertain fans in the Paddock Club located above the media centre. Just when you think you’ve had it all, you hear the pounding of the entire tent being dismantled while you’re working.

It was great to have the Dutch Grand Prix back on the F1 calendar. Zandvoort and the Dutch GP organisation created something special. Yet the honest conclusion is that after year one it never got better -only worse. It was nice, but now it’s been nice enough.