CM.com Circuit Zandvoort
CM.com Circuit Zandvoort at a glance
- Location
- Zandvoort, North Holland
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 4.259 km (2.646 mi)
- Turns
- 14
- Direction
- clockwise
- Banking
- 19° at Hugenholtzbocht (Turn 3), 18° at Arie Luyendijkbocht (Turn 14)
- Surface
- asphalt
- Elevation change
- 29 ft
- Opened
- 1948
- Owner
- Circuit Zandvoort Exploitatie Maatschappij (private ownership group)
- Capacity
- 105,000
- Phone
- +31 23 574 0740
- Website
- circuitzandvoort.nl
Track map and layout
Zandvoort is built into the dunes on the Dutch North Sea coast, and the circuit's ribbon-like layout follows the natural contours of that landscape, giving it more elevation change and camber variation than most modern circuits its length. The lap starts with the tight Tarzanbocht hairpin right after the start/finish straight, then winds through a flowing middle sector before two banked corners — Hugenholtzbocht (19°) mid-lap and the steeply banked Arie Luyendijkbocht at the final corner — were added during the circuit's 2020 reconstruction for Formula 1's return, both designed to encourage side-by-side racing and close, narrow racing lines uncommon on modern circuits.
Named corners and sections
- Tarzanbocht. A tight, wide hairpin immediately after the start/finish straight, the circuit's main overtaking point and its most famous corner.
- Hugenholtzbocht. A 19-degree banked corner in the middle of the lap, added in the 2020 rebuild and named after circuit designer John Hugenholtz.
- Scheivlak. A fast, blind, dune-lined sweeping corner regarded as one of the most demanding sections of the lap.
- Arie Luyendijkbocht. The steeply banked (18°) final corner leading onto the start/finish straight, named after Dutch Indy 500 winner Arie Luyendijk and designed to enable close racing onto the straight.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix circuit (current, post-2020 rebuild) | 4.26 km | 4.259 km configuration with banked corners, used for F1's return from 2021 |
| Pre-2020 layout | 4.31 km | Slightly different corner sequence used before the banked-corner reconstruction for F1's return |
Events and race weekends
Zandvoort hosted the Dutch Grand Prix regularly from 1952 to 1985 before F1 left the calendar for 35 years; the race returned in 2021 to huge home support for Max Verstappen and has run every year since. Under the current agreement the Dutch Grand Prix is scheduled to end after the 2026 race, with Formula E reportedly planned to take over an F1-style event from 2027, though details remain subject to change. Zandvoort also hosts DTM, GT World Challenge Europe and historic Dutch national racing throughout the year.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix | Formula 1 | August | current deal runs through 2026; future beyond that unconfirmed at time of writing |
| DTM Zandvoort | DTM | varies | German touring car championship round |
| GT World Challenge Europe | GT3/GT4 endurance | varies | sprint and endurance GT racing |
Getting there and parking
Zandvoort is on the Dutch coast about 30 km west of Amsterdam, and is unusually well served by rail for a European circuit: Sprinter and Intercity trains run from Amsterdam Centraal to Zandvoort aan Zee station roughly every 10-15 minutes, a journey of about 25-30 minutes, with the circuit itself a 15-minute walk from the station (shuttle buses run on event days). Amsterdam Schiphol is the main international gateway, with a direct train connection onward to Zandvoort via Haarlem.
- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) · about 30 min drive
Parking
Circuit and event parking is limited and often ticketed for the Dutch Grand Prix; the circuit actively encourages train travel over driving for race weekends given constrained road access into the dune-side town.
For the Dutch Grand Prix, buy a train-inclusive ticket where offered and travel via Amsterdam Centraal or Haarlem, since road access and parking around Zandvoort are heavily restricted on race weekend.
Hotels and camping near CM.com Circuit Zandvoort
Zandvoort town itself has a range of hotels and holiday apartments within walking distance of the circuit, but rooms sell out and prices spike heavily for the Dutch Grand Prix. Haarlem, about 20 minutes away by train, and Amsterdam, about 30 minutes away, both offer much larger hotel capacity and are popular bases for race-weekend visitors who book well ahead.
Where to look
Zandvoort town (walking distance, sells out fastest), Haarlem (about 20 minutes by train, more hotel choice), and Amsterdam (about 30 minutes, largest capacity) are the main options.
Camping
Official trackside and town camping options are available for the Dutch Grand Prix, though facilities are more limited than at larger continental venues and weather on the exposed coast can be unpredictable.
RV
Some caravan/motorhome parking is arranged for the Dutch Grand Prix through official channels; space is limited given the circuit's dune-side location.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Circuit Zandvoort runs a regular calendar of public track days and driving experiences, including its own Sport Driving Days for road-car owners and open-pitlane sessions organised by third parties, alongside karting and simulator experiences at the circuit's driving-experience centre.
Who runs days here
Typical cost: Open-pitlane track days from around €599 including lunch; driving-experience packages (multi-activity) from roughly €500-€540 per person
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 (current banked-corner layout) | 1:11.097 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes W12 | 2021 |
Spectator guide
Zandvoort's dune-top layout gives many grandstands and viewing banks unusually good sightlines across several corners at once, a distinctive feature among modern circuits. Tarzanbocht and the banked final corner are the most popular vantage points, and the coastal setting means visitors often combine race weekends with the town's beach.
Seating
Major grandstands sit around Tarzanbocht, the start/finish straight and the banked Arie Luyendijkbocht; dune-top general admission areas offer wide views across multiple corners.
Best places to watch
Tarzanbocht for overtaking action right after the start; the dune banks overlooking Scheivlak and the final corner for a broader, multi-corner view.
Weather
- August (Dutch GP): coastal weather, highs around 19-22°C with wind off the North Sea and a real chance of rain
History of CM.com Circuit Zandvoort
Built in the dunes
Circuit Zandvoort opened in 1948 on the site of wartime roads built by the occupying German army, laid out by Sammy Davis and John Hugenholtz through the dunes behind the North Sea resort town of Zandvoort. Its rolling, natural terrain gave it a character distinct from Europe's flatter purpose-built circuits, and it quickly became a fixture of the European racing scene, joining the Formula 1 world championship calendar in 1952 and hosting the Dutch Grand Prix regularly through the 1950s, 60s, 70s and into the mid-1980s.
Decline and 35 years without F1
Rising costs, safety concerns and changing commercial priorities saw Zandvoort drop off the F1 calendar after 1985, and the circuit spent decades outside the top tier of world motorsport, though it continued hosting national and European racing, historic events and the Marlboro/Masters of Formula 3 meeting that became a fixture for young single-seater talent.
Reconstruction and F1's return
With the rise of Dutch driver Max Verstappen and strong domestic demand for a home race, Zandvoort undertook a major reconstruction ahead of a planned 2020 return that was delayed a year by the COVID-19 pandemic, finally welcoming Formula 1 back in September 2021 to raucous, orange-clad crowds. The rebuild added two steeply banked corners — Hugenholtzbocht and the Arie Luyendijkbocht — intended to enable closer racing on a circuit with limited space for a full modern layout. The Dutch Grand Prix has run every year since 2021, though the current hosting agreement is set to end after the 2026 race, with reports pointing to Formula E taking a future event at the venue from 2027; the exact shape of Zandvoort's calendar beyond 2026 remained unconfirmed at the time of writing.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Circuit Zandvoort?+
The current Grand Prix layout is 4.259 km (2.646 miles) long with 14 corners, including two banked corners added in the 2020 reconstruction.
Is 2026 the last Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort?+
Under the current hosting agreement, the Dutch Grand Prix is scheduled to end after the 2026 race; reports suggest Formula E may hold an event at the circuit from 2027, but the venue's post-2026 F1 status was unconfirmed at the time of writing.
Why does Zandvoort have banked corners?+
Two corners — Hugenholtzbocht (19°) and the final-corner Arie Luyendijkbocht (18°) — were added during the circuit's 2020 rebuild specifically to allow cars to run side by side through them, something difficult on a circuit with Zandvoort's limited available space.
How do you get to Circuit Zandvoort by train?+
Direct or one-change Sprinter and Intercity trains run from Amsterdam Centraal to Zandvoort aan Zee roughly every 10-15 minutes, taking about 25-30 minutes; the circuit is a 15-minute walk from the station, with shuttle buses on event days.
Can the public drive Circuit Zandvoort?+
Yes. The circuit runs official Sport Driving Days and open-pitlane track days for road-car owners, alongside karting and simulator experiences at its driving-experience centre.
Other tracks nearby
- Motorclub Oss · 98 km · club
- De Witte Ruijsheuvel (Oss Motocross Circuit) · 98 km · motocross
- Stedelijk Motorcrosscentrum Lommel · 139 km · motocross
- Motorcross Markelo (Herikerberg Circuit) · 141 km · motocross
- TT Circuit Assen · 148 km · road course
- Circuit Zolder · 163 km · road course
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-10.