Last F1 weekend in Zandvoort will take place a week earlier than usual

The last Formula 1 weekend in Zandvoort will take place a week earlier than usual next year, the racing organization FIA has announced. The Dutch Grand Prix weekend will be from August 21 to August 23, as opposed to the last weekend of August, which is the customary date. It had already been reported that, for the first time, there will also be a sprint race during what currently seems to be the last F1 racing weekend in the Noord-Holland coastal town.

The Zandvoort Grand Prix returned to the F1 calendar in 2021. The organizers behind the race decided to pull out of the F1 season in the future due to financial insecurity regarding the future of the race.

Robert van Overdijk, the director of the Dutch Grand Prix and the Zandvoort Circuit, responded to the announcement of the dates for the last Dutch Grand Prix. “The Dutch Grand Prix has grown into a strong international event with broad appreciation from fans, teams, and drivers. In 2026, we will conclude a unique piece of Dutch sports history.”

Former sporting director for the Grand Prix and former F1 driver Jan Lammers also posted an emotional response. “We have done something that nobody can take away from us. The Dutch Grand Prix is more than a race- it is a cultural phenomenon, an orange experience, a visiting card from the Netherlands to the world. In 2026, we are closing the door ourselves. But what we have built will live forth in the memory of millions of fans.”

Dutch driver Max Verstappen has won three out of the last four of the Dutch Grand Prix races. Last year, Lando Norris of McLaren was victorious in the race.

Other announcements about the F1 season included the news that there will be two Grand Prix in Spain. The Spanish Grand Prix, which will be held in Barcelona, will now also be followed by a Grand Prix in Madrid on September 13. It currently seems to be the case that the 2026 Barcelona Grand Prix will also be the last time it occurs in the F1 season. The Madrid street circuit will replace the iconic Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Italy.