Michael and Jeroen Bleekemolen drove countless laps on the Zandvoort circuit. The father and son almost grew up on the circuit. “My first time at Zandvoort was in 1956. I was seven years old then,” said Michael, who currently travels all over the world to race. Jeroen experienced the legendary Grand Prix of 1985 as a little boy. “We grew up in Zandvoort, so it was fantastic to experience these races again.”
“A bit surprising,” says Jeroen about the fact that the GP will stop in Zandvoort after 2026. “It looked like it would alternate with Spa or Barcelona, but I actually understand it very well,” says Jeroen, “If Max stops today, for whatever reason, it will be a loss for the fans and also the event “, says Michael. “There is also the saturation point. If the stands are no longer full, money will have to be added. I think the organization wants to avoid that.”
Race party
As motorsport enthusiasts, the hearts of the Bleekemolen family cry. Formula 1 at Zandvoort was a treat for them. “They stuck their necks out. A truly fantastic event that is representative of the rest of the world. Kudos to how they did it all.”
“From a sporting point of view, it is a great shame that Formula 1 is disappearing,” says Jeroen, who was present around the race as an analyst for the NOS in recent editions. “But if you look realistically, it is a miracle that we managed to get Formula 1 back. Without state support and financial strength. As a result, the risk remains high.”