Travel headache for fans heading to the Dutch GP

In the concourse of Amsterdam’s main train station, many F1 fans had left early to make their way to the latest Dutch Grand Prix but before they can reach the right platform, they have to pass through multiple gates meaning then waiting time to finally board a train has now increased considerably.

The Dutch Railways aren’t helped by the fact that trains are being canceled due to disruptions, which are being announced to passengers at the station. On top of that, fans — many dressed in orange — are being shuffled from one train to another due to late train arrivals and departures. On several occasions, trains packed full with fan have then been emptied by train staff, who have no idea how to handle the massive influx of spectators.

In the already overcrowded trains departing from Amsterdam Central, it gets even busier during the journey. At busy stations like Amsterdam Sloterdijk and Haarlem, many more people try to board. Especially in Haarlem, not everyone can get on and they have to wait for yet another train.

The fact that the stations are extremely crowded early on likely has to do with the sprint race this Saturday morning. Fans want to see the Sprint Race, whereas during a ‘normal’ weekend many still choose to skip a third free practice session.

It is expected to be very busy later today at Zandvoort station, with fans heading home. On Friday evening, waiting times for trains had already increased significantly.

Red Bull’s challenging Friday contrasted sharply with the fanfare of Max Verstappen’s contract extension to 2030, as the Dutchman managed only sixth in sprint qualifying and stand-in teammate Liam Lawson missed SQ3 in 11th.

Verstappen reported grip and balance issues and trailed George Russell by more than half a second on Zandvoort’s short lap, with Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren setting the pace. Long-run data from FP1 offered little encouragement, leaving Red Bull banking on overnight setup gains after the sprint to revive their weekend. Read more