Verstappen one of the few who can laugh at Dutch 'pride' in the paddock

The Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort is a home race for me, although it is the race with the greatest 'on the day' travel distance. With a trip of over an hour, it is just doable, although it always takes just a little longer than expected. In the morning, you might just miss the shuttle bus towards the paddock, for example. It happened this morning. The 4km distance from the media car park to the paddock is then just a bit too long for a walk.

It is one of the few downsides of a race in your own country. It remains unique how Zandvoort, a seaside village where on an average weekend with a bit of sunshine the whole village is jammed, manages to logistically do an incredible job. Zandvoort is simply closed to traffic. They could learn a thing or two from Barcelona, Spa and Imola.

Simple Dutch things also stand out on the paddock. The cars to transport people from the entrance to the paddock are golf carts. Last year with a motor, now fully electric. The media centre is also well organised. Spacious tables, large screens and plenty of food throughout the day.

The Dutch pride in Zandvoort

Yet in 2024, there is also a Dutch addition that very few people are happy about: a barrel organ. The barrel organ plays anything and everything. Frans Bauer and André Hazes (Dutch 'greats') pass by every hour, but one song is played most often: the F1 intro tune on a barrel organ. It is already driving McLaren crazy.

Whereas in the Netherlands a barrel organ is not allowed to stand in front of a shop for more than ten minutes, otherwise it will scare away customers, this barrel organ stays in the same spot the whole time. Poor McLaren has the barrel organ in front of the door and are going berserk: 'they just played the F1 song for an hour straight.'

The location is crude for another reason. It is not just McLaren that suffers, but also people who are hungry for a good cup of coffee, a beer or, more importantly, a freshly made 'stroopwafel'. A Dutch delight. Indeed, in the square where many journalists spend their 'working hours', you must brave the music. A punishment for taking a break for too long? It looks like it.

Max Verstappen must be laughing about it too. At the end of the Dutch media session, it's briefly about all the music on and around the track. Verstappen himself is not all that into it, although his good friend Martin Garrix is obviously a man who knows his stuff. Asked if he could replace the barrel organ, Verstappen laughs: ''Yes, then you have to pay a bit more.''

On Friday it is time for practice, but whether much will come of it remains to be seen. The wind is already very noticeable around the circuit on Friday, and the wind force will only increase during the weekend. Several drivers already voiced their concerns about it. These cars are not built for so much wind. Especially on Saturday, strong gusts of 80 kilometres per hour are expected.