Circuit of Zandvoort

The Circuit of Zandvoort is a circuit of automobile race traced in the dunes close to the town of Zandvoort to a score of kilometers in the west of Amsterdam in Holland.

History

Although there were some races with Zandvoort before the Second world war, beginning the June 3rd 1939, the true circuit was established only àprès war, mainly conceived by John Hugenholtz.

The circuit was inaugurated the August 7th 1948. In 1949, it accommodates the Grand Prix of Zandvoort, which, the following year, will become the automobile Grand Prix of the Netherlands.

Of an original length of 4,193 km, work of security are carried out in 1973 which brings back the length of the layout to 4,226 km, then in 1980 with a 4,252 km length.

This circuit will be included in the Championship of the World of Formule 1 in 1952 and will be definitively abandoned in 1985 after 30 Grands Prix. The organizer withdraws businesses, leaving in disuse the circuit.
The circuit, pertaining to the commune of Zandvoort, was not used during a certain time, and is resold of part of the layout to a company of mobil-home Vendorado in 1987. A protection plan of the circuit was carried out and a new layout of 2,6 km was created in summer 1989 for races of club.

In 1995, the Circuit of Zandvoort obtains the support of the Dutch government and started to establish the bases of a circuit of international Grand Prix. This project, finished in 2001, sees the realization of new a 4,180 kilometers length layout, new stands, as well as a platform along the straight line. One of the principal events which is currently held on the circuit, with DTM and the A1 Grand Prix, is the Masters de Zandvoort de Formule 3 indicator to contribute the best pilots of the various European championships of Formule 3.

The Circuit of Zandvoort received the 1 sleeve of season 2006 of A1 Grand Prix of the September 29th at October 1st 2006.

Memory

In the history of the circuit, several fatal accidents intervened, in particular that of Piers Courage during the Grand Prix of the Netherlands 1970 and of Roger Williamson during the Grand Prix of the Netherlands 1973.

Anecdote

The most famous turn of the circuit is the Tarzanbocht (turn of Tarzan) which provides excellent occasions of going beyond. The history wants that the origin of this name comes from the nickname of Tarzan of a local character having a kitchen garden in the dunes and who wanted to give up it well if the originators of the circuit named the turn close to this name. But, it exists many other known explanations about it there.

See too

alphabetical List of the circuits of Formula 1

External bonds

Official site of the circuit
Seen satellite by Google Maps

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