Max Verstappen hints at Zandvoort return in future driving plans suggestion

Max Verstappen has suggested he will return to race at Zandvoort outside of F1 as the world championship prepares for its final race at the venue.

The Dutch Grand Prix is disappearing from the F1 calendar after the 2026 race but Verstappen has not ruled out racing at the circuit again in the future.

Max Verstappen reflects on Zandvoort exit

With high costs and some European circuits being rotated, the Dutch Grand Prix organisers made the decision in 2024 to exit the sport after 2026 after the circuit returned to the calendar specifically because of Verstappen with sell-out crowds flocking to see their hero.

“Of course, we’ve known this now for a while,” Verstappen said of the Dutch GP’s immediate future.

“It’s my home Grand Prix, so for sure I’m going to enjoy it a lot. I hope, driving-wise! Hopefully a bit more than I did [in Hungary], at least.

“But, yeah, it’s going to be great to see the fans. Okay, we won’t have a Formula 1 Grand Prix there, but there are a lot of other series that still race there, and if you want to have a track day, the track is not going to disappear. So, for me, I’ll still have my fun driving around there, just not in Formula 1, but that’s okay.

“I mean, I just want to enjoy it with the fans. It’s incredibly impressive what they have done to bring it back, and I think, at the time when they hosted the first one, it was a great example for a lot of other Grands Prix as well of how to host and entertain. So, yeah, it’s a shame, but on the other hand, the track’s still there and I’m sure I will do more laps around there. So, it is what it is.”

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Verstappen was joined in the press conference by Lando Norris who has fond memories of the circuit having picked his second F1 win there.

He shared the sentiment that it was a “shame” to see the circuit slip off the calendar.

“Like Max says, it’s a shame because it’s a fun race,” he said. “It’s full of McLaren fans! It’s just a cool track. Since I’ve driven there in Formula 3, it was one of the most exciting, different layouts that you have on the calendar, and in Formula 1 it’s a pretty crazy track. So, it’s a shame.

“Like Max said, they set a good standard for what a Formula 1 race weekend should be. I mean, the Dutch fans are also just crazy, in a good way. They make a lot of noise, they want to have a fun weekend, and it just brings a great atmosphere to the race itself.

“You never know, maybe one day it comes back and there’s another Dutch Grand Prix somewhere. But it’s one I enjoy a lot. I know the majority are there for Max, but there are always a lot of fans there for me as well, and a lot of them support me. So, it’s good fun.

“It’s a great atmosphere, especially when you’re driving through some of the corners, to see all the fans and the smoke and all of these things. It always puts a smile on your face. So, a shame, but that’s what happens.”

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