Max Verstappen helped transform the Netherlands into one of the most passionate motorsport nations on the planet. Zandvoort went from 35,000 weekend visitors to 305,000. Orange grandstands follow him to Spielberg, Silverstone, and Suzuka. And yet, apparently, it has nothing to do with him.
The Most Unconvincing Denial in Motorsport
Max Verstappen has told Formule 1 Magazine that he simply does not want credit for the explosion of motorsport popularity in his homeland.
“I don’t want to say it’s all because of me. I’ve done my part. Above all, I think it’s great to see that motorsport is truly alive in the Netherlands. I don’t personally need to take credit for that.” – Max Verstappen
And when pressed on why he refuses to claim it, he added: “I don’t need to shout that from the rooftops. It’s more important that motorsport is popular now and that little boys are dreaming of Formula 1.”
Noble stuff. Also, statistically, almost entirely his doing.
What the Numbers Actually Say
Before Verstappen arrived on the grid in 2015, Dutch motorsport interest was polite at best. In 2014, Zandvoort pulled around 35,000 fans for a DTM weekend. In 2021, the Dutch GP sold 305,000 tickets. That is nearly nine times the audience, in seven years, centred entirely around one man winning four world championships.
At the Austrian GP in Spielberg, Dutch attendance grew from roughly 5,000 in 2014 to over 50,000 by 2023. Orange is now the dominant colour at European circuits, full stop.
Verstappen draws a parallel with Johan Cruijff: success creates icons, not the other way around. He is right about that. He is less convincing when he tries to suggest the success belongs to Dutch motorsport collectively.
The Final Curtain at Zandvoort
The Dutch GP returns later this month and will be the last for the foreseeable future, with no contract extension agreed beyond 2026. The farewell weekend is shaping up to be something special, and the grandstands will be packed with the exact fans Verstappen insists he is not responsible for.
The commercial reality is blunt: Zandvoort pays an estimated 30 million euros per year. Las Vegas and Saudi Arabia pay double that. A circuit wedged between sand dunes and residential streets cannot compete with purpose-built Gulf state venues.
Sixth in the Championship, Still the Biggest Draw
Verstappen currently sits sixth in the drivers’ standings with 109 points, well behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli on 219. Red Bull are fourth in the constructors’ table. The dominance that built the orange army has faded this season, as our 2026 midseason report laid out in full.
But the fans are still coming. Because when you build something this large, it outlasts your winning streak. Whether Verstappen wants the credit or not, the data has already filed it under his name.
