The introduction of the Sprint format for the last appearance of Zandvoort in Formula 1 created quite a few problems on the Saturday of the Dutch Grand Prix. The huge crowd that gathered at Amsterdam station to reach the circuit faced numerous inconveniences, including rescheduled or even canceled trains.
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Calvary towards the Zandvoort Sprint
Given the geographical location of the Zandvoort track, the vast majority of fans and workers travel to the circuit by train from Amsterdam, but this year the exodus was even more traumatic. At several stations, including Amsterdam Central, there were disruptions and cancellations of trains that created huge chaos.
Although many fans arrived early at the station precisely to be present at the 12 o’clock Sprint, the logistical management – with many gates to pass through before reaching the platform for Zandvoort – but before reaching the right platform they have to go through several gates, considerably lengthening the waiting times to board a train.
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Train cancellations and disruptions
Complicating matters was the cancellation of some trains due to service disruptions, announced to passengers directly at the station. Fans were therefore moved from one train to another due to late arrivals and departures. On several occasions, trains already overcrowded with people were then emptied by railway staff.
Why so many people today
The fact that the stations are extremely crowded early in the morning compared to the past is obviously linked to the Saturday morning Sprint Race. Fans aimed to attend the Sprint, while on a “normal” weekend many chose to skip the third free practice session.
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