In 2026, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands will be in charge of presenting the trophy to the winner of the Dutch Grand Prix to be held in Zandvoort. This will be the first time that the monarch makes an official visit to a sports event in the country to present an award.
Although the king and queen Máxima have attended the Grand Prix privately since its return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2021, this event will mark a special occasion in their participation.
The organization of the Grand Prix announced its continuity on the calendar for the 2026 season, following a one-year extension agreed with the management of Formula 1 in 2024. However, the promoters, who privately manage the event, have decided not to seek a longer contract or participate in a rotation system with other European circuits, meaning Zandvoort will not be part of the calendar from 2027.
Robert van Overdijk, director of the Dutch Grand Prix, explained that their goal is to close a cycle with two last and excellent Grands Prix in 2025 and 2026, as they wanted to bid farewell with an event that has been very well received by fans and the Formula 1 community.
Since its return, local driver Max Verstappen has achieved three consecutive victories between 2021 and 2023. McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri won respectively in 2024 and 2025.
The Dutch Grand Prix of 2026 will take place in Zandvoort from August 21 to 23 and will include a sprint race weekend, meaning drivers will have only one hour of practice before the competition sessions.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
