Formula 1: Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort confirmed for 2020 and beyond

As rumored at the end of April, Zandvoort is set to host the Dutch Grand Prix once again beginning in the 2020 Formula 1 season.

Circuit Zandvoort has not hosted a Formula 1 race since the 1985 season, when it hosted the Dutch Grand Prix for the 30th time. However, that is set to change next year.

As rumored at the end of April and as speculated since November of 2017, the 13-turn, 2.676-mile (4.307-kilometer) Circuit Zandvoort road course in Zandvoort, Netherlands is set to host the Dutch Grand Prix once again beginning in the 2020 Formula 1 season. This race will likely be a 71-lap race.

Formula 1 and the Dutch Grand Prix, a partnership formed by SportVibes, TIG Sports and Circuit Zandvoort, reached and signed an agreement for Circuit Zandvoort to host this race for at least the next three seasons.

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This race is set to be the 31st Dutch Grand Prix at the track. Prior to the 1985 season, the race had been held 29 times there over the course of the last 33 seasons, as it was first held in the 1952 season. Heineken is set to serve as the title sponsor for this race when it returns to the schedule next year.

As a result of the addition of the Dutch Grand Prix to the schedule for the 2020 season, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is still slated to leave the schedule after 29 consecutive seasons of hosting the Spanish Grand Prix, although the date for the Dutch Grand Prix has not yet been confirmed. This year’s Spanish Grand Prix was just contested this past Sunday, May 12.

Here is what Formula 1 chairman and CEO Chase Carey had to say about the addition of the Dutch Grand Prix to the 2020 Formula 1 schedule, according to Formula 1.

"“We are particularly pleased to announce that Formula 1 is returning to race in the Netherlands, at the Zandvoort track. From the beginning of our tenure in Formula 1, we said we wanted to race in new venues, while also respecting the sport’s historic roots in Europe. Next season therefore, we will have a brand new street race that will be held in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, as well the return to Zandvoort, after an absence of 35 years; a track that has contributed to the popularity of the sport all over the world. In recent years, we’ve seen a resurgence of interest in Formula 1 in Holland, mainly due to the enthusiastic support for the talented Max Verstappen, as seen from the sea of orange at so many races. No doubt this will be the dominant color in the Zandvoort grandstands next year.”"

Here is what FIA president Jean Todt had to say about the matter, according to Formula 1.

"“I am pleased to see that Zandvoort will be part of the proposed calendar for the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship, and thankful for the hard work of Formula 1 to bring the sport bring the sport back to the Netherlands. It is a circuit with a long and impressive history of competition and is a great challenge for drivers, and with the popularity of Max Verstappen I’m sure there will be a huge number of fans in attendance. There is now a lot of preparation needed to bring the circuit up to the required safety standards to host a Formula 1 race, and we will work towards this together with Formula 1, KNAF – the Dutch ASN – and the circuit organization.”"

Here is what Dutch Grand Prix sporting director Jan Lammers had to say about the matter, according to Formula 1.

"“The Zandvoort Circuit is legendary and known worldwide and we’re delighted to see it host a round of the FIA Formula One World Championship once again. To meet the wishes of Formula 1 and the required standards of the FIA the circuit and infrastructure will be modernized within a few areas, with the work completed well ahead of the race in 2020. In addition, the municipality of Zandvoort has recently invested heavily to improve access to the municipality and the circuit.”"

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What are your thoughts on Formula 1‘s return to Circuit Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix starting in the 2020 season after what will have been a 35-year absence from the Zandvoort, Netherlands-based road course?

Before the 2020 season begins, 16 of the 21 races on the 2019 schedule still need to be contested, the first of those being the Monaco Grand Prix. This race is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 26, and it is set to be broadcast live on ESPN from Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo, Monaco beginning at 9:10 a.m. ET.

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