DESTINATION GUIDE: What fans can eat, see and do when they visit Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix

It’s fitting that the first GP to be held after the summer break is practically on the beach, prolonging that holiday vibe for a few more days. Just 30 minutes from the cultural hub of Amsterdam, the Circuit Zandvoort is so close to the beach that the sand from the 9km stretch of the North Sea coastline that edges Zandvoort regularly finds its way onto the F1 track, providing a unique hazard for the drivers to contend with.

First opened in 1948 as part of the wave of post-war motorsport enthusiasm that swept across Europe, Zandvoort held its inaugural Grand Prix in 1952 with Ferrari recording a 1-2-3 finish headed by a dominant Alberto Ascari. The undulating and challenging old-school track soon became a firm favourite with drivers and fans alike.