Circuit Park Zandvoort

Circuit Park Zandvoort is a motorsport race track located in the dunes near the town of Zandvoort, in the Netherlands, near the North Sea coast line.

Although there were some races at Zandvoort before WW II, starting in June, 3, 1939, a real circuit was not built until after the war, mainly designed by John Hugenholtz. The circuit was inaugurated on August, 7, 1948. Next year, in 1949 the circuit hosted the Zandvoort Grand Prix. The following year, the race was called the Dutch Grand Prix, and it was included in the Formula One World Championship in 1952. In 1985, the Dutch Grand Prix was held for the last time. The company that commercially ran the circuit (CENAV)went out of business. This was the end of "Circuit Zandvoort" The track, owned by the municipal of Zandvoort wasn't used for some time and part of the grounds and aprox. half of the track was sold around 1987 to Vendorado, a Bungalow park company of that time (currently this park is still there and operated by CenterParcs. A plan to save the remaining track was made by a group of people and companies. "Circuit Park Zandvoort" was born and the track was remodeled to an interim "Club Circuit" of 2,6 km in the summer of 1989. (the original track messured around 4,2 km) In 1995, CPZ got the "A Status" of the Dutch government and finally could begin building a international Grand Prix Circuit again. This project was finished in 2001 when, after the track was redisigned to a 4,3 km long circuit and a new pits building was realised, a new grandstand was situated along the long straight. Currently the circuit is again bidding to be included in the Formula One World Championship, however chances are very small. One of the major events that is currently held at the circuit, along with DTM and A1GP, is the BP Ultimate Masters of Formula 3, where Formula 3 cars of several national racing series compete with each other. (Originally called Marlboro Masters, before tobacco banning)

The most famous corner in the circuit is the Tarzanbocht (Tarzan corner) which provides excellent overtaking opportunities. This corner is reportedly named after a local character who had earned the nickname of Tarzan and only wanted to give up his vegetable garden in the dunes if the track's designers named a nearby corner after him. On the other hand, many different stories about Tarzan Corner are known. Truth is, nobody knows why it's called Tarzan Corner, but the story of the chunky local called Tarzan certainly speaks to the mind, and should be true, even if it's not.

In the history of the circuit, several fatal accidents have occurred; among them are Piers Courage during the 1970 Dutch Grand Prix, and Roger Williamson in 1973.

The older 'Classic' Zandvoort circuit layout is modeled in detail and can be driven in the Grand Prix Legends racing simulation for X86-based pc's.

Circuit Park Zandvoort played host to the first race in the 2006/07 season of A1 Grand Prix from 29 September - 1 October 2006. Benefiting from the excitement of the first race, and the most enthusiastic fans in the world, A1 Team The Netherlands home race is bound to be one of the highlights on the A1 Grand Prix calendar.

See also: List of Formula One circuits

External links

• (Dutch) Circuit Zandvoort homepage
• Aerial photo (Google Maps)
• Ciro Pabón's Racetracks; 3D views and virtual laps of all F-1 circuits including this one, via Google Earth.