Jan Lammers

The return of the Dutch Grand Prix not only puts Zandvoort back on the Formula 1 map, but also gives a prominent role to a local racing legend: Jan Lammers. A native of Zandvoort himself, Lammers — who made several attempts to finish his home Grand Prix during his own racing career — will now have a front-row seat to see if Max Verstappen can achieve what he could not.

Like many drivers of his generation, Lammers climbed the ranks via Formula Ford, making his way into Formula 3 in the early 1970s. He initially began his racing career in the Dutch touring car championship, but it didn’t take long before he made the switch to single-seaters.

In 1978, he joined the grid with a distinctly Dutch touch — driving for Racing Team Holland (he would later also race for Racing Team Nederland in the WEC) alongside compatriots Huub Rothengatter and Arie Luyendyk. That year, Lammers won the European Formula 3 Championship, clearing a path toward the pinnacle of motorsport.

Following his F3 triumph, Lammers made the step up to Formula 1 in 1979, joining Shadow as teammate to Elio de Angelis. That season, it was de Angelis who secured the team’s only points — finishing fourth in the final race of the season. Lammers ended the year with no points and a 10th place in the standings.

Still, the season became memorable for the debut of one of F1’s most iconic liveries: the Samson lion on the DN9. While it didn’t bring points, it did deliver some stunning photos.

Over the next few years, Lammers switched between several F1 teams — including ATS, Ensign, and Theodore — but none were able to provide him with a car capable of scoring points. As a result, Lammers exited Formula 1 in 1982 without a single point to his name.

After leaving F1, Lammers shifted his focus to sports car racing, including the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 1988, he claimed overall victory at Le Mans, driving the Jaguar XJR-9LM alongside Johnny Dumfries and Andy Wallace. He returned to the Le Mans podium again in 1990 (P2) and 1996 (P3), the latter with Derek Warwick and Mario Andretti.

This success in endurance racing came just a few years before a brief return to Formula 1. In 1992, Lammers was offered a drive with March for the final two races of the season in Japan and Australia. He retired from the Japanese GP but finished 12th in Australia — again without points, marking his final F1 appearance.

In the late 1990s, Lammers turned his attention to supporting the next generation of Dutch racers through his own team, Racing for Holland. The team competed not only in sports car racing but also in the Dutch A1 Grand Prix series. Drivers like Jos Verstappen, Jeroen Bleekemolen, and Renger van der Zande all raced under the team’s banner before moving on in their careers.

Lammers himself has continued to compete in races over the years, including appearances at Le Mans and other WEC events. In 2018, he raced with Racing Team Nederland — nicknamed "the yellow bumblebee" — alongside Frits van Eerd and Giedo van der Garde, finishing seventh in the LMP2 class.

By 2019, the return of the Dutch Grand Prix was already on the horizon, though one major question remained: would it be held in Zandvoort or Assen? The latter was ultimately ruled out, and Zandvoort secured the honor. Naturally, the man who once raced the circuit himself was asked to take on the role of Sporting Director: Jan Lammers.

In addition to that role, Lammers is also a familiar face in the Dutch media — regularly appearing as a guest analyst on Ziggo during Grand Prix weekends or in the F1 Café show on Friday evenings.