Formula 1 is leaving Zandvoort after this season. No government funding, no contract renewal, end of story. So the Dutch circuit went looking for something to fill the gap, and it has found it: a confirmed multi-year deal with Formula E, ratified at Tuesday’s FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting as part of a record-breaking Gen4 calendar. Whether that sounds like a consolation prize or a genuine upgrade depends entirely on how much you trust the Gen4 era to deliver. On paper, at least, the signs are encouraging.
The Deal
Zandvoort has agreed an initial three-year partnership with Formula E, carrying an extension option that could keep the circuit on the calendar for the entirety of the Gen4 era. The event lands on 18-19 June 2027 as rounds 14 and 15 of Season 13. Expect it to be branded something like the “Amsterdam E-Prix hosted at Zandvoort,” which is a marketing compromise, but a forgivable one. Nyck de Vries, the Dutch driver who once had a very brief F1 career, will at least have a home race to look forward to again.
The full circuit layout will not be used. Formula E plans to run a shorter configuration of approximately three kilometres, featuring a right-hand hairpin at the traditional Turn 5. No additional chicanes are currently planned, though that remains subject to FIA homologation. Visits to the circuit have already taken place, and the amphitheatre-style dune setting is expected to generate genuine atmosphere regardless of which championship fills the grandstands.
A Format That Actually Makes Sense
The Zandvoort weekend follows Formula E’s new double-header structure, and this is where the Gen4 era gets genuinely interesting. As part of a championship undergoing significant structural change, double-header events now feature two entirely distinct race formats.
Friday brings the “E-Prix Unleashed”: a 25-30 minute sprint in high-downforce specification, single Attack Mode, no Pit Boost. Less energy saving, more flat-out racing. Saturday delivers the traditional 45-minute E-Prix with Pit Boost and low downforce. Full points are awarded in both. After Friday’s sprint, a festival-style event with live music on the nearby beach is planned. Zandvoort has always done atmosphere well; this format suits the venue.
The Gen4 car is the real argument for optimism. It is expected to be 7-8 seconds per lap faster than the current Gen3 Evo package, with a 0-100 km/h time of 1.8 seconds and a top speed of 335 km/h. On a tight, banked, twisty three-kilometre layout, that could be genuinely spectacular.
The Bigger Picture
Zandvoort joins Brands Hatch and the Circuit of the Americas as new venues on what is Formula E’s largest ever calendar: 13 events, 21 races. The championship is clearly moving away from the temporary street circuit model and towards tracks with genuine character, which is the right direction. The qualifying points system has also been revised, with the top eight scorers now earning points on a structured scale rather than just awarding three points for pole position.
Will any of this replace the spectacle of a full F1 weekend in the dunes? No. But Zandvoort was never going to sit idle, and a serious multi-year deal with a series actively reinventing itself beats a car park and a few corporate track days. The Gen4 car has a lot to prove. Red Bull‘s backyard knows how to judge performance. June 2027 will be a fair test.
