Super Friday leaves you wanting more

Virtually all available tickets for Friday had been sold. With 100,000 visitors, this was the most-attended Super Friday ever. Under good weather conditions, fans watched the only Formula 1 free practice session, the Sprint Qualifying, and the first sessions of the F1® Academy and the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.

Kimi Antonelli set the fastest time during free practice. Later that afternoon, George Russell secured the pole position for the F1® Sprint. The Mercedes driver posted the fastest lap with a time of 1:11.567, edging out Lando Norris by just 0.041 seconds. Charles Leclerc will start third on Saturday. Max Verstappen will start from sixth position in front of his home crowd.

After the final sporting event on the track, Super Friday transitioned into a full-fledged festival program. While the engines set the tone during the day, the artists took over the Fanzone in the evening. Flemming, Snelle, Kraantje Pappie, and Gil Glazenburg performed, followed by Afrojack, who closed out the evening. The combination of top-level sports, music, and entertainment has made Super Friday one of the defining days of the Dutch Grand Prix ever since the return of Formula 1®.

“This is exactly what makes Super Friday at Zandvoort so special,” says Robert van Overdijk, managing director of the FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN DUTCH GRAND PRIX. “The sport comes first, and with the first Sprint Qualifying session at Circuit Zandvoort, visitors were treated to something new right away today. Afterward, the circuit transforms into a festival grounds, and people continue to enjoy themselves together. The fact that virtually all available tickets for today have been sold shows that Friday has now become a full-fledged and very popular day of the Dutch Grand Prix.”

On Saturday, the gates at Circuit Zandvoort will open as early as 7:00 a.m. Between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., early visitors to the Fanzone will have a chance to win exclusive prizes, including a tour of the Formula 1® Paddock, a peek inside an F1 garage, and various goodies. The morning program also features an F1® Driver Q&A, a live recording of the F1® Podcast, and a performance by La Fuente. Visitors arriving by bike can also sign up for The Final Sprint to Zandvoort and reserve a free bike parking spot at Gate 2.

Starting at 9:20 a.m., the racing program begins with the F1® Academy qualifying session, followed by the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. At 12:00 p.m., drivers will already be competing for world championship points during the first Dutch F1® Sprint. Later in the day, the first F1® Academy race, the Formula 1 qualifying session, and the first Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup race will take place.

“A Sprint Saturday doesn’t have a slow start,” said sporting director Jan Lammers. “World Championship points are already up for grabs at 12:00 p.m., and with Max starting from sixth place, there’s plenty of room for an exciting race. Plus, if you arrive early, you’ll get to experience much more of the day from the moment the gates open.”

The immense popularity of the FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN DUTCH GRAND PRIX was also evident Friday morning as visitors began arriving. With so many people arriving at a relatively compact event site almost simultaneously, some waiting time during peak hours is unavoidable. For Saturday, the organizers therefore advise visitors to plan their trip carefully in advance and leave well ahead of time. Those who arrive earlier will travel more comfortably and get more out of Sprint Saturday.

• Starting at 7:00 a.m.: Circuit Zandvoort opens and the Fan Zone morning program begins
• 9:20 a.m.: F1® Academy Qualifying
• 10:15 a.m.: Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Qualifying
• 12:00 p.m.: F1® Sprint
• 2:35 p.m.: F1® Academy race
• 4:00 p.m.: FORMULA 1 Qualifying
• 6:00 p.m.: Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup race