The Dutch Grand Prix has kicked off with the first practices beginning this morning, and thousands of visitors are expected to make their way to Zandvoort to enjoy the race weekend. In preparation, the city is urging spectators to travel by foot, bicycle or public transport as much as possible.

Roads to Zandvoort closed to car traffic 

The roads around Zandvoort have been closed to motorised traffic from 5am on Thursday, August 22 until 11pm on Sunday, August 25. During the busy periods of the Formula 1 weekend, other nearby areas will also be closed to cars, including Benteveld, parts of Aerdenhout, Bloemendaal, Overveen and parts of Haarlem. These closures will take place from 5am on Friday until 4pm on Sunday.

Only emergency services, local residents and entrepreneurs with certificates allowing them to pass through will be allowed in these closed-off areas. The certificates are issued by the municipality.

With many roads being shut off to drivers, the Zandvoort municipality urges visitors to rather walk, cycle or make use of public transport to avoid traffic build-up and issues with parking. NS has also announced that they will be running a train every five minutes to and from the area in anticipation of the increase in rail passengers. 

Ear and skin protection important during F1 weekend in Zandvoort

To draw attention to the importance of wearing hearing protection and shielding the skin from sunlight, ENT specialists will be handing out earplugs and sunscreen during the Grand Prix weekend in the Netherlands. 

“We still see that not everyone at F1 is aware of the risk of hearing damage as a result of loud noises,” said Louise Straatman, KNO doctor at the UMC Utrecht. “That is one of the reasons that we think it is important to speak with visitors. With simple earplugs, you can enjoy the race and protect your ears.”

As everyone flocks to see if Max Verstappen can score a win on home soil for the fourth time in a row and win the world championship again, it is important to protect your skin when spending long periods outside at the race track no matter the weather. The weather during the weekend will be changeable this weekend with some rain expected in between bouts of sunshine.

Thumb image credit: Jay Hirano / Shutterstock.com