The final Dutch Grand Prix weekend had a total attendance of 325,000 – the largest in Zandvoort’s comeback stint on the F1 calendar.
Formula 1’s final visit to Zandvoort for the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix attracted a record 325,000 spectators over the course of the three day race weekend.
Lando Norris claimed a second consecutive Grand Prix win, rounding out a hat trick of Zandvoort victories for McLaren. Mercedes team-mates Kimi Antonelli and George Russell joined Norris on the podium, while the ‘Oranje Army’ saw Max Verstappen’s final home race come to an early end as he crashed out at the final corner on the first lap. It was the first time Verstappen failed to finish in the top two since Zandvoort returned to the F1 calendar.
Although the Dutch Grand Prix’s 2021 return had a limited capacity and a total attendance of 195,000 over three days, when the pandemic-related capacity limits were removed in 2022, attendance grew to 305,000. The same figure was reported for the 2023, 2024 and 2025 races, with the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix seeing attendance grow by 20,000.
The 2026 Dutch Grand Prix, which saw Zandvoort run F1’s Sprint format for the first time, was the sport’s final visit to the track. Race organisers announced in December 2024 that they had opted to not renew their deal with Formula 1 as a result of financial considerations.
Access Issues at Zandvoort’s Last F1 Race
The increased attendance figures seemed to result in access problems for fans attending the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix. Race organisers have always been keen for fans attending the race to do so via the use of public transport. Almost 50,000 of the estimated 100,000 attendees on Friday reached the circuit by train, with trains departing every five minutes.
However, problems arose the following day, when delays and cancellations led to a number of fans missing the Sprint race action. A broken down train near Amsterdam Centraal had a knock-on effect with crowding at other stations, including Sloterdijk and Haarlem. Trackside, some fans noted crowd management and overcrowding issues, leading to bottlenecks when navigating around the circuit.
F1 Attendance Reaches 4 Million in 2026
Total Formula 1 attendance in 2026 is now estimated to have surpassed 4 million over the first 12 rounds of the season. Confirmed attendances so far this year total 3.6 million, though when estimated figures for the Miami and Monaco Grand Prix weekends are added, the total is highly likely to have surpassed the four million mark. The 2026 Dutch Grand Prix currently ranks as the fifth best-attended race weekend of the season.
The British Grand Prix is the best attended race of the season so far, setting a new all-time attendance high for Formula 1 with a total of 500,000 attendees over four days. Of races in the second half of the season, the United States and Mexico City Grands Prix are expected to have the highest attendances, having each surpassed 400,000 in recent years.
