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Max Verstappen can equal a historic Zandvoort record held by one of Formula 1's greatest drivers if he wins the Dutch Grand Prix. The four-time world champion stands on three victories at his home circuit and needs one more to match Jim Clark's all-time mark, set in the 1960s. With the race leaving the calendar after 2025, this represents Verstappen's final chance to draw level with the Scottish legend.
The Grand Prix of the Netherlands returned to the Formula 1 calendar in 2021, driven in large part by Verstappen's global appeal. He repaid the Dutch fans immediately with three consecutive wins from 2021 to 2023, but the past two years have delivered a different outcome. Lando Norris took victory in 2024, followed by Oscar Piastri in 2025, both driving for McLaren. While the orange-clad crowds celebrated regardless, Verstappen will be keen to reclaim his dominance at Zandvoort before the circuit bows out.
Clark's 1960s dominance still defines the record books
Because Zandvoort spent decades off the Formula 1 calendar, many of its records remain the property of drivers from a bygone era. Jim Clark, widely regarded as one of the finest talents ever to sit in a racing car, won the Dutch Grand Prix four times during the 1960s. His tally has stood unchallenged for more than half a century, a testament both to his skill and to the circuit's long absence from the sport.
Verstappen's three wins place him in exclusive company. Only two other drivers have won the Dutch Grand Prix three times: Sir Jackie Stewart and Niki Lauda, both multiple world champions. If Verstappen claims victory this weekend, he joins Clark at the summit. Overtaking the Scot, however, will not be possible unless Zandvoort returns to the calendar in future years.
Mercedes winless since Zandvoort's return
One striking footnote to Zandvoort's modern era is Mercedes' inability to win there. Since 2021, the Silver Arrows have failed to reach the top step of the podium at the Dutch circuit, a rare blind spot for a team that dominated much of the previous decade. Ferrari, too, has been absent from the win column, leaving Red Bull and McLaren as the only victors in the current Zandvoort chapter.
Should Norris or Piastri win again this weekend, either would join a select group of two-time Dutch Grand Prix winners. Historically, repeat victories at Zandvoort have been uncommon. Among those who have won the race twice are Alain Prost and Alberto Ascari, both luminaries of the sport. A second win for either McLaren driver would place them alongside such names, even if their achievements are compressed into a much shorter timeframe.
A final chance to own the record
Verstappen's opportunity to match Clark carries added weight given the circuit's impending departure. The 2025 Dutch Grand Prix marks the end of Zandvoort's current contract, and no agreement is in place for a return. For a driver who brought the race back into relevance and dominated its early years, failing to add a fourth win would leave unfinished business. Clark's record, set across an era when Zandvoort was a calendar staple, remains the benchmark. Verstappen has one race left to meet it.
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