The Zandvoort circuitin Holland, is a permanent track located in the coastal town of the same name on the North Sea, one of the most iconic and demanding of the whole Formula 1 World Championship. Inaugurated in 1948, measure 4259 meters And it was the scene of the Grand Prix from 1952 until 1985 and, after an absence of 36 years, in 2021 returned among the circuits of the Circus calendar, also thanks to the popularity of the Dutch Ace and “master” of the house Max Verstappen And a series of works to read the track. That of Sunday 31 August 2025 will be the 35th edition of the Holland Grand Prix, scheduled at 3 pmwith the pilots called to complete 72 rpm For an overall distance of 306.5 km. The track is famous for his Unique elevated curves in the World Cup: curve 3 and curve 14, both with a banking higher than 18 °. A distinctive trait that joins another unpredictable variable: ithe north sea windwhich often transports sand on the asphalt reducing adherence and forcing pilots to fight with a variable grip around the round. In 2021 Lewis Hamilton recorded the record lap in the race stopping the time trial on the time of 1’11 “097 at an average speed of 216 km/h.
Zandvoort is a “Old Style” circuit: no very large or rectilinear kilometers, but demanding curves, spectacular elevations and very few points to overtake. It is also one of the closest slopes of the World Cup, and precisely for this The overtaking are very complicatedfor this reason, as seen also on the Hungaroring circuit, the qualification of Saturday takes on a fundamental importance.
Discovering the Zandvoort circuit: characteristics of the Dutch track
The track of Zandvoort, where for about the 68% of time on the tour the accelerator remains completely open, it is composed of 14 curvesof which 10 on the right and 4 on the left and two short straights where the DRS (in the main straight immediately after curve 14 and between curve 10 and 11), but the overtaking remain complicated: in 2023, thanks to the variable weather, there were well 186 overtaking against only 23 of the previous season.
Out of 14 total curves, only two they are flat, while all the others present a “banking” – the formula that describes the inclination of a variable curve – ranging from 3 up to 19th. Curve 3 of the complex Hugenholtzfor example, has an internal inclination of about 4.5 ° and an external of almost 19with a radius of just 17 meters, generating a real “wave” perceivable directly from the passenger compartment. Here, each pilot can choose completely different lines, with trajectories that change insertion and exit speeds. The Hugenholtzboct, a modern symbol of Zandvoort and dedicated to the Dutch engineer who designed it, has a single banking in F1: the inclination grows even following the Fibonacci sequencearriving until the 35%.
The very long curve 14, with 18th Banking, instead it acts as an extension of the main straight, increasing the possibility of accelerating in full and transforming the straight of the pits into a potentially almost one kilometer long stretch.
The tour starts from the straight of the pits, where the single -seaters reach about 330 km/h in 8th march, and then face the Curva 1 (Tarzanbocht) which takes its name from “Tarzan”, a nickname of the owner of the land that granted the area provided that the first curve would bear its name. This detached is the most demanding for the brakes: here the deceleration is of 4.5 g: the speed drops to 122 km/h in just 116 meterswith an effort on the brake pedal of 136 kg. Immediately afterwards you face the curve 2a right that prepares the entrance into the famous Curva 3 (Hugenholtzbocht). This long parabolic curvone, with a radius of just 17 meters and variable banking up to 19 °, allows different trajectory interpretations. After curve 3 it is shocked and enters the fast sequence of the curves 4-5-6all to be covered in full gas, where mechanical grip and aerodynamic stability become fundamental.
The second sector is characterized by a quick and guided stretch. The key curve is the 7 (Scheivlak), addressed at almost 300 km/h. Follows a sequence of medium -speed curves (8-10), where the single -seaters travel in the third or fourth gear at speed between 120 and 180 km/h. There Curve 9 It is the second most demanding point for the brakes: you pass by 251 to 126 km/h in 85 meterswith deceleration of 3,9 g and load on the pedal of 121 kg.
The third sector begins with the quick entry into Curva 11 (Hans Ernst Bocht) at about 300 km/h, where he brakes strong to face the Chicane 11-12 in the second gear (the speed here passes from 285 at 119 km/h in 96 meters) with load on the 142 kg pedal. The chicane is crucial: optimal travel allows you to launch the single -seater on the main straight with the utmost acceleration. Curves 13 and 14 complete the sector: Curva 13 it is slower, with high side and vertical forces on the tires, while the Curva 14 (Aries Luyendykbocht), elevated 18 °, acts as an extension of the main straight. Here the pilots can remain at full gas, taking advantage of the inclination of the track to reduce stress on tires and create overtaking opportunities for Tarzanbocht.
Zandvoort is a relatively track Little severe for the braking system: on a scale from 1 to 5, Brembo assigns an index of difficulty equal to 3. To confirm this, the total time spent by the braking drivers during a lap is around the 17%.
The strategies to be adopted in Zandvoort between pit-stop and tire management
The Zandvoort track is a very particular mix: there are fast curves but also slower and technical traits where the traction and mechanical grip count above all. For this the teams choose a structure from medium-high aerodynamic loada compromise that allows you to be stable in curves without losing too much in the straight.
The Dutch track also involves careful management of tires, especially the front ones, more affected by the elevated curves. The lateral and vertical stresses, particularly intense in curves 3 and 14, combine mechanical and thermal stress on the tires, making the correct temperature management fundamental. The Thermal degradation is a critical factoreven if it will depend on the weather conditions, very variable during the weekend and on the same day of the race. The proximity to the sea introduces further variables: the wind can bring sand to the track, lowering the level of adherence and making the evolution of the grip between the sessions more complicated.
For the GP of Holland 2025, Pirelli (that this weekend in Zandvoort celebrates the 500th race in Formula 1), he decided to bring mixes slightly softer Compared to last year: C2 as Hard, C3 as a medium and C4 as softcompared to the C1, C2 and C3 of 2024. A choice aimed at promoting more aggressive strategies and two stops, unlike the single stop that dominated the recent editions, even if the simulations of the teams confirm that the strategy to a stop remains the fastest, thanks to a faster pit stop after increasing the pit lane limit 60 to 80 km/h.
The configuration of the Zandvoort circuit, with short straights and guided features, makes the stops in the pits a crucial element in the race strategy. The Total time lost by entering and leaving the pits it generally wanders around 22-24 seconds. Therefore, the strategy ofUndercut It can work, but only if you do not end up bottled in traffic.
A small curiosity is given by the asphalt mixture, studied ad hoc and nicknamed “Flying Dutch”which combined with advanced drainage systems, guarantees excellent adherence and safety, even in case of rain.
The Zandvoort circuit read through the numbers: the statistics and records of the Dutch track
In addition to being one of the most complicated tracks of the entire calendar, Zandvoort in the various years of presence gave the history of this sport indelible pages to scale. Here are the most important numbers to know:
- Pilots with multiple victories: Jim Clark He leads this special ranking with 4 wins won in Zandvoort. Behind him we find legendary names like Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda And Max Verstappen (3).
- More winning stables: Ferrariwhich here achieved 8 successes, little detached we find then Lotus (6). Further back McLaren (4) e Red Bull (3).
- Pole position: René Arnoux And Max Verstappen 3 pole positions conquered in Zandvoort have appeared, behind them of motorsport icons such as Alberto Ascari, Graham Hill, Jochen Rindt, Niki Lauda (2).
- Pilots with multiple podiums conquered: Jim Clark and Niki Lauda (6), Jackie Stewart (5), Jack Brabham, Clay Regazzoni and Max Verstappen (4).
- Pilots with multiple laps in the race: Graham Hill (1049), Jack Brabham (782), John Surtees (722), Jo Bonnier (662), Jackie Stewart (616).
- Record lap in the race: 1’11 “097 signed by Lewis Hamilton In 2021 with Mercedes
- Record round in qualifying: 1’08 “885 signed by Max Verstappen in 2021
The Dutch track has a special place in the history of Formula 1, because here many drivers have tasted the taste of climbing the top step of the podium for the first time, such as Alberto Ascari In 1952, imposing himself with his Ferrari. 1975 saw James Hunt win his first victory. But the track also saw memorable goodbyes: in 1985, Niki Lauda He recorded his last career victory, closing a historical chapter of Formula 1.
