The Dutch Grand Prix on 23 August will be the last at Zandvoort for now, and the man who brought Formula 1 back to the Netherlands has already skipped past the mourning stage.
“I’m taking a down-to-earth view of it. It is indeed the last Formula 1 race, but the circuit will still be there, and other series will continue to come there,” he told RacingNews365.
His pitch for what fills the gap does not involve Formula 1 at all. Verstappen wants a revival of the Jumbo Racedagen, the demo events that ran at Zandvoort from 2017 to 2019 and drew a peak crowd of 110,000 in 2018.
Demo days over a new grand prix
“Test days can still be organised there, so it doesn’t feel like a farewell to me. Of course, the massive orange celebration might come to an end, but we might be able to bring some of that back with a demo day, like in the past,” Verstappen said.
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The demo days he refers to featured historic Formula 1 cars, other racing series, and Verstappen himself putting on shows for the home fans. They were the events that proved Zandvoort could handle F1-scale crowds and helped clear the path for the grand prix’s return in 2021.
Portugal takes the calendar slot
The F1 slot has already been filled. Formula 1 confirmed in December 2025 that the Algarve International Circuit at Portimão will host the Portuguese Grand Prix in 2027 and 2028, replacing Zandvoort on a two-year deal.
Verstappen was not enthusiastic about that venue at the time. After the 2021 Portuguese Grand Prix, he said he hoped Formula 1 would never return to Portimão.
His broader preference for the successor race had been simple. Asked in September 2025 about the Dutch GP’s future, he said he was fine with anything “as long as we don’t add another street circuit”.
Accepting the exit on the circuit’s terms
“It’s great that the Dutch GP took place and especially how it went, but I also understand the reasoning behind the decision not to continue with it. It’s important for them to know when enough is enough, to choose the right moment. We’ve had some really great years; it’s fine the way it is,” Verstappen said.
The final race weekend runs 21-23 August at Zandvoort.
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