Max Verstappen in a file photo. (Image: Twitter/Max Verstappen)

F1 track statistics: All you need to know about Circuit Zandvoort

May 22, 2023May 22, 2023 Nilavro Ghosh

From 1950 to 1985 and starting in 2021, the Dutch Grand Prix is a Formula One motor racing competition held at Circuit Zandvoort in North Holland, the Netherlands. Since 1952, it has been a part of the World Championship. In 1962 and 1976, it was given the honorary title of European Grand Prix, which is given annually to one Grand Prix race in Europe. In the 1930s, the town hosted small races on a street circuit, but during the German invasion of the Netherlands, a straight road was built through the dunes so that the Germans could hold victory parades. Later, the road was linked to other roads, providing access to positions used for coastal defence.

Prior to World War II, plans existed for races in Zandvoort; the first street race took place on June 3 of that year. However, a permanent racecourse wasn’t built until after the war, utilising communication routes that the German army that was occupying built. Contrary to popular belief, John Hugenholtz was not involved in the design of the Zandvoort track, even though he was chairman of the Dutch Auto Racing Club before serving as the first track director in 1949. Instead, S. C. H. “Sammy” Davis, the 1927 Le Mans champion, was hired as a track design advisor in July 1946, despite the fact that the layout was partially determined by the existing roads.

The circuit’s fast, sweeping turns like Scheivlak and the “Tarzanbocht” (Tarzan corner) hairpin at the end of the start/finish straight helped it become well-known. The circuit’s most well-known turn is Tarzanbocht. The corner has a camber, which offers fantastic opportunities for overtaking. Both the less difficult inside lane and the outside lane are passable. This corner is said to be named after a local character who went by the moniker Tarzan and demanded that a nearby corner be named in his honour before giving up his vegetable garden in the dunes. On the other hand, there are numerous, disparate tales about Tarzan Corner.

Track specifications

City	Zandvoort, North Holland, Netherlands
Opened	August , 1948
Length	4.259 km
Turns	14
F1 lap record	1:11.097 (Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 2021)

Most wins

British driver Jim Clark is the most successful Formula One driver to have ever driven at the Dutch Grand Prix with four wins to his name. In P2, there is a tie between Jackie Stewart and Niki Lauda, both of who have won the race thrice in their careers. There are a number of drivers who have won the race twice, including current world champion Max Verstappen, Alain, Prost, James Hunt, Jack Brabham and others.

Driver	Wins
Jim Clark	4
Niki Lauda, Jackie Stewart	3
Louis Rosier, Alberto Ascari, Jack Brabham, James Hunt, Alain Prost, Max Verstappen	2

Most pole positions

French driver Rene Arnoux is the driver with the most poles at Circuit Zandvoort with three poles to his name. There are a number of drivers who occupy P2 with two wins at the track including Verstappen, Prost, Nelson Piquet, Mario Andretti, Niki Lauda, Ronnie Peterson, Jochen Rindt, Graham Hill and Alberto Ascari

Driver	Poles
Rene Arnoux	3
Max Verstappen, Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet, Mario Andretti, Niki Lauda, Ronnie Peterson, Jochen Rindt, Graham Hill, Alberto Ascari	2

Most successful constructors

Ferrari is the most successful constructor to have raced at the Zandvoort circuit is Ferrari with eight wins to their name. Lotus comes in at P2 with six wins and McLaren completes the podium with three wins.