Stewart and Coulthard praise "unique challenge" at Zandvoort Circuit

Anyone who had suggested five years ago that a Formula 1 race would be held at Circuit Zandvoort in 2021 would undoubtedly have been called mad, but this weekend it will finally happen. The success of Max Verstappen in the highest racing class in the world has revived F1 fever in the Netherlands more than ever before. And with the race just around the corner, some old F1-celebrities look back on the time that a race in Zandvoort was still a regular part of the calendar.

Take Sir Jackie Stewart for example. The remarkable Scot, who won the race at Zandvoort three times in his time as a racing driver, said at the official opening of the Heineken Dutch Grand Prix: "I already raced Formula 3 here when I was a puppy. It was one of my first races abroad and has always held a special place in my heart."

Especially its location in the dunes is something that makes the circuit so unique. "Zandvoort was always a great race. When there was a strong wind, the sand was blown right onto the track. You don't see that anywhere else in the world. It gives the drivers an extra, unique challenge," concludes The Flying Scot.

David Coulthard, that other Scot, was also present during the press moment. Although he hasn't raced any official F1 races at Zandvoort, he knows the circuit only too well. For example from the laps, he did there during the Jumbo Racedagen. "My heart was in my throat. I saw Max Verstappen disappear from view and was afraid to see his car in a thousand pieces after the top. Sometimes I'm glad I'm not a racing driver anymore."