Why the DUTCH GP is in TROUBLE!

In my latest video I walked the paddock at Zandvoort and looked into a worrying trend: Dutch Grand Prix ticket sales are well down on previous years. I’m Kym Illman, and in this article I’ll unpack what’s happening at Zandvoort, why promoters and fans are talking about attendance, and what other stories from media day tell us about the state of Formula 1 right now — from big sponsorships to rainy tunnels, oddball food choices and how pit stops are timed these days.

What’s happening with ticket sales and demand?

Historically the Dutch GP has been a sellout months in advance. This year is different. As of media day there were still plenty of tickets available in almost every stand and, interestingly, resale sites were showing lower prices than official outlets. That’s an early indicator: when secondary market tickets trade below face value, demand is lagging.

There are a few explanations floating around:

• Max Verstappen isn’t winning as consistently as before, which some fans say dampens the local buzz.
• Many weekend visitors feel they’ve already experienced Zandvoort once or twice and are happy to sit this year out and save their money.
• Anticipation that 2026 might be Zandvoort’s last race “for a while” — or at least the last under the current layout or contract — which could push some people to wait for that potential farewell event and buy then.

All of the above are plausible. My take: the absence of an emotional trigger (a dominant hometown hero season, or a “final” event) combined with cost-conscious fans equals lower demand this year. Promoters will be watching ticketing velocity closely because races rely on stadium atmosphere as well as gate revenue.

McLaren + Mastercard: a huge sponsorship and how it lands

There’s big money moving around in F1. Mastercard is reportedly committing around $100,000,000 to McLaren for next year. That’s serious cash and it raises the predictable question: what do you get for that kind of investment?

The obvious deliverables include:

• Prominent car signage and brand visibility
• Corporate hospitality and ticket allocations for Mastercard clients
• Extensive activations across Grand Prix weekends
• Access to drivers and team experiences — which is hugely valuable for customer relationships
• A naming tie — likely to be advertised as McLaren Mastercard in official contexts

Some fans bristle at sponsor names in team titles, calling it “selling out” or the “NASCARification of F1.” But in practice, most supporters and broadcasters still default to shorthand. As I noted in the paddock, teams like “Oracle Red Bull” are universally just called “Red Bull”, and “Atlassian Williams” becomes simply “Williams” in everyday conversation. Broadcast commentary and fan chatter rarely use the full commercial name, so the real benefit to Mastercard is the formal naming rights in official materials and the corporate hospitality experiences — not that the team will be rebranded in every fan’s mouth.

Weather woes: Zandvoort’s notorious rain and the flooded tunnel

Zandvoort and rain go together — frequently and often dramatically. During a heavy downpour on media day the tunnel under the track flooded with about 40 cm of water, cutting off the usual pedestrian route. The circuit deployed vehicles to ferry people back and forth while the water subsided, and the issue was largely a practical one: the tunnel floods fairly often in heavy rain.

There are two angles to keep in mind:

• Fan experience: flooding disrupts movement around the venue and dampens the day (literally), which matters when you’re trying to deliver a premium event.
• Operational resilience: circuit teams handled it quickly, which is reassuring. But recurring weather-related infrastructure issues are the kind of thing promoters and local authorities should be reviewing.

Driver fashion, camaraderie and small human moments

Media day is always peppered with small human moments that break up the technical talk. Fernando Alonso strode in looking immaculate in a Boss outfit, taking a moment to prepare by his car before fronting the world’s media — great exposure for his sponsor and a reminder that the drivers’ image work is part of the job.

Valtteri Bottas received a warm round of applause in hospitality after being announced as a Cadillac driver for 2026, alongside Sergio Perez. It was one of those lovely paddock moments where the respect for a driver lands as applause rather than headlines.

And there was a touching snippet about Lewis Hamilton’s security: one of his guards stood out in the rain in just a shirt, soaked through, explaining he couldn’t be holding two umbrellas — one for himself and one for Lewis — once his principal came out. That’s devotion to the job in its purest form.

Carlos Sainz and the ‘hair question’

My followers asked whether Carlos Sainz had dyed his hair. I checked with team members and asked Carlos directly as he passed; the verdict was no dye job — likely sun-bleaching from holiday time on boats in the off-season. It’s a tiny detail, but it’s exactly the kind of off-track curiosity fans enjoy.

F1: The Movie, streaming rights and Apple’s push

If you missed F1: The Movie in cinemas, it’s now on Apple TV. I bought the video edition (AUD 29) and found the extra content compelling — worth it even if you saw the theatrical release. The bigger story is the broadcasting market: reports suggest Apple may pay around $150,000,000 for U.S. rights next year, replacing ESPN, which appears unwilling to match that figure. If Apple secures those rights it would be a strategic play to control more of the sport’s U.S. distribution through streaming.

Championship odds: Piastri favorite, but it’s close

Bookmakers had Oscar Piastri at about A$1.60 and Lando Norris at A$2.40 at the time of media day. That’s a significant spread given Oscar led by only 7 points with 10 races left. Bookies are reflecting where money is being staked as much as their own predictions — right now, the market favors Piastri, but with a relatively tight points gap the championship is far from decided.

Odd paddock delights: stroopwafels, bitterballen and a day of food

Not every media day highlight is technical. Yuki Tsunoda wandered in eating a stroopwafel — a local treat that’s been distributed around the paddock along with bitterballen. These small cultural touches matter: they make the event feel local and give media day a festival atmosphere.

How are pit stops timed now?

Until recently pit-stop timing relied on sensors in the pit lane pavement. Those sensors have been removed, and timing is now handled via cameras placed above each pit box. Formula 1 Management has access to those feeds and measures how long a car is stationary by noting when the jack goes up and when it drops back down. The jack drops once all four tyre-gun operators have pressed their “ready-to-go” buttons; once the final operator presses, the jack is released.

Teams sometimes grumble about discrepancies — a pit stop they believed was 1.8 seconds might return as 2.0 or 2.1 seconds in official timing. The difference usually comes down to camera frame timings and the precise moments chosen as start and end. It’s another example of how millisecond-level operations in F1 are subject to the limits of measurement tools.

Trophies, craftsmanship and local culture

The winner’s trophy at Zandvoort is hand-painted by Royal Delft and is surprisingly intricate. There are seven of the same trophies produced, and the hand-painting process is a lengthy, detailed task. Last year’s trophies even included artwork by Robbie Williams. These bespoke touches reflect the event’s local identity and add ceremonial weight to the prize.

Local atmosphere, hotels and practicalities

Stay options matter. Many drivers and personnel choose hotels close to the track even if the rooms are “daggy” or dated, because convenience wins out on race weekend. Haarlem — a 20-minute drive from Zandvoort — offers a lively atmosphere with eateries and pedestrian streets. It reminds me of race towns from the past: a compact buzz that complements the circuit experience.

Conclusion

Zandvoort has charm and personality, but this year’s ticketing trends show it’s not immune to market forces: pricing sensitivity, the ebb and flow of local hero dominance, cyclical attendance, and even the lure of “saving for 2026” all affect demand. Big sponsorship deals like Mastercard with McLaren underline that teams are funding their future aggressively, which could pay off in performance. Meanwhile, the paddock is full of character — from hand-painted trophies to stroopwafels and security guards in the rain — and those moments are what keep F1 human amid the technical arms race.

FAQ

Why are Dutch GP ticket sales down this year?

Multiple factors: Max Verstappen’s form influences local excitement; some fans have already attended previously and are prioritizing other events; economic considerations; and anticipation that 2026 might be a major “final” event for Zandvoort, prompting some to wait.

Is McLaren becoming “McLaren Mastercard” a bad thing?

Commercially it’s significant because it represents a major funding injection (reported around $100,000,000). Practically, most fans and broadcasters still use shorthand names, so the sponsorship’s biggest impact is on corporate hospitality and official branding rather than daily speech.

How are pit-stop times measured now?

By camera feeds placed above each pit box. Officials determine timing from when the jack is raised to when it drops. The jack only drops when all four tyre-gun operators have pressed their “ready” buttons, which formalises the end of the stop.

Will Apple broadcasting in the U.S. change how I watch F1?

Possibly. Reports suggest Apple is willing to spend up to $150,000,000 for U.S. rights. If Apple secures streaming rights, distribution and presentation could shift towards a streaming-centric model, potentially with added content and integrations that traditional broadcasters might not provide.

Are local touches like stroopwafels and hand-painted trophies important?

Yes. They give each Grand Prix its identity and enhance the live experience. Small cultural details help create memories beyond the on-track action and reinforce the uniqueness of each venue.