Magic Closing Party at Super Friday with Armin van Buuren

Opening Day of the F1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix Concludes with the Largest Drone Show

With a magic Closing Party, the Super Friday at the Formula 1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort came to a spectacular end today. More than 10,000 fans who stayed until the end witnessed an electrifying performance by Armin van Buuren in the Fanzone, which culminated in a breathtaking drone show that added an extraordinary finale to the event.

The illuminated drones soared through the dark sky, forming recognizable Formula 1 figures such as a helmet, a racing car, and the iconic steering wheel. Of course, they also came together at the end to spell out “Super Friday,” which has now become a well-known tradition. After the rain and wind of the morning, the skies cleared in the afternoon, and following a beautiful sunset, the view of the illuminated drones was perfect, resulting in a phenomenal show for the massive audience.

Before this, Armin van Buuren, one of the world’s top DJs, had already delivered a captivating set on the main stage in the Fanzone. The renowned music producer was visibly impressed himself. “This proves once again that the Netherlands is at the forefront of these kinds of productions. This combined with that drone show was so cool. Really awesome. My heart beats for Formula 1. I’ve been watching since the glory days of Damon Hill. Tonight, I used quotes from Ayrton Senna in one of the tracks as a sort of tribute. I truly hope that Formula 1 will remain in Zandvoort for many years to come.”

Good Spirits

Thus, an eventful Super Friday came to an end. Not for the first time, it was the epitome of a Dutch summer. The F1 drivers had just one free practice session today, battling strong winds and rain in the morning and then racing under a bright afternoon sun. The good spirits of the more than 75,000 race fans were undeterred.

This was evident early in the morning during the Q&A session and the Opening Show by Snollebollekes in the Fanzone. Thousands of fans had already gathered there, hopping from left to right across a packed square in the drizzling rain. This set the tone for a day full of atmosphere, which only improved as the afternoon progressed. Although the first free practice of Formula 1 was wet and windy, it wasn’t as stormy as some drivers had feared the day before.

F1 Academy

The F1 Academy also introduced itself to the fans today. In this young but already spectacular women’s racing series under the Formula 1 banner, three Dutch drivers will be competing this weekend.

Emely de Heus and Maya Weug are two of the regular drivers this season, and Nina Gademan is making her debut at the Zandvoort circuit thanks to a wildcard. The 20-year-old driver is competing in the Female Quotient car for the PREMA Racing team.

This is the second time that the F1 Academy has visited Zandvoort, but last year it took place two months before the Dutch Grand Prix. Now, the race is scheduled during the week of the largest sporting event in the Netherlands. Tomorrow and Sunday, the races where points will be contested will take place.