King Willem-Alexander to present F1 Dutch GP winner's trophy at Zandvoort

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands will present the winner's trophy at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, marking his first official visit to a sporting event in the country to hand out a prize. Previously, the king and queen have attended the Dutch Grand Prix regularly since the event returned to the Formula 1 calendar in 2021, but those appearances were private.

In 2024, F1 management and the Dutch GP organizers agreed to a one-year contract extension, ensuring the event's presence through 2026. However, the privately funded promoter decided against pursuing a longer-term deal or participating in a proposed rotation system with other European circuits. Consequently, Zandvoort will be removed from the calendar in 2027.

Robert van Overdijk, the director of the Dutch Grand Prix, stated that while the privately owned and operated business must balance the opportunities of hosting the event against other risks and responsibilities, they have decided to go out on a high by organizing two more incredible Dutch Grands Prix in 2025 and 2026. King Willem-Alexander interviewed on the grid prior to the start of the race, and the king expressed gratitude to F1 chief Stefano Domenicali and the entire Formula 1 team for their hard work, enabling multiple contract extensions and the success of the Dutch Grand Prix.

Since its return in 2021, four-time champion and Dutch hero Max Verstappen has secured three consecutive victories from 2021 to 2023, while McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri claimed wins in 2024 and 2025. The 2026 Dutch Grand Prix will take place at Zandvoort from August 21-23 and will host another sprint race weekend, with drivers having just one hour of practice to prepare for the competitive on-track sessions.