Formula 1: The Dutch Grand Prix experience, from the eyes of a fan

With the Dutch Grand Prix being my second Formula 1 race ever, the first being the Miami Grand Prix this past May, I knew what to expect when I walked through the gates.

What came as a surprise was how much sand there was, given the fac that the circuit is right next to the beach.

An oceanside track meant hills and dunes all around, with lots of wind.

Friday

It was quite a hectic day for me, as I flew into Amsterdam just hours before FP1 began. In a rush, I dropped off all my things in the hotel and made my way to Zandvoort as soon as possible. To my luck, I made it to my seat just as the cars were coming out of the pit lane and onto the track. 

Sitting in the second row of the grandstand gave me a great view with no blockage, and those V6 engines were very loud as each car drove by. This straight was a DRS zone, so the cars went by almost instantaneously, making it very difficult to catch them on camera.

I had my eyes open for both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, as it was amazing to see my two favorite drivers go by. The W15’s livery looked splendid from my angle. When Max Verstappen went by in his Red Bull, the whole crowd roared, as most fans were either in orange or Red Bull gear.

Upon conclusion of FP1, I decided to explore the grounds, since there were nearly three hours until the next practice session. As soon as I exited the grandstand, lines were quite long for beer and there was not much space to walk. Considering Heineken is a very popular beer originating in the Netherlands, I decided to hop in line and get one for myself, as it was quite cheap.

After that, I made my way to the fan zone and saw lots of different attractions. The line to take pictures on a replica of the podium was short, so I made my way there. There were also replicas of the champagne bottles waiting on each step, so I got my chance to get some nice pictures.

The lines for sim racing and the pit stop challenge were very long, so I chose to try my luck later on in the weekend. The fan zone setup was huge. It was a massive tent with all kinds of food and merchandise. On the side, there was a big stage where fans gathered for Q&A sessions with some team principals. I did not make it in time for that, but I did see Christian Horner answer some questions on the big screen nearby.

Unfortunately, the rain started to come down a little harder, and everyone, including myself, put a poncho on as fast as we could. Umbrellas were not allowed onto the grounds, so it was fairly difficult to keep myself completely dry, despite the poncho. All the pathways were either sand or dirt, so my shoes became so dirty, and I found myself scrubbing them clean once I got back to my hotel.

As I made it back to my seat for the second free practice session, I saw cars coming out onto the track with wet weather tires on the big screen. Most drivers had intermediates on, with a select few on full wets.

Though the track was visibly wet, intermediates worked a lot better. It was cool to see the spray fly up from the tires as each driver sped by on the straight. The Mercedes were very quick in this session, and it brought a big smile to my face. Experiencing my favorite team driving faster than pretty much all other teams gave me a cherishable feeling.

Upon the midway point of the session, the sun started to come out and the wind died down considerably. Most cars went back into the pits and put their soft tires on, and the Mercedes were still mighty quick, which gave me a lot of hope for qualifying and the race. The McLarens were also extremely quick, as they brought a big upgrade package to Zandvoort.