F1: Zandvoort to extend pitlane to be ready for 11th team (2nd Update)

Renovations at Dutch GP venue Zandvoort are taking place in the off-season period.

The popular track, with a contract only until 2025, was often cited as one reason why Formula 1 may be opposed to allowing Andretti to become the eleventh team – a lack of garages.

But it now emerges that not only an eleventh, but also a twelfth F1 team garage is being installed at Zandvoort, as well as an extended pitwall.

Circuit boss Robert van Overdijk confirmed that the pit and paddock facilities are also being improved, with all the works scheduled to be complete by the end of April.

The entire pitlane is also being lengthened after F1 teams complained that there is not enough space when multiple pitstops are taking place at the same time.

“We’re actually trying to separate the garages from each other to give everyone a little more space and be safer,” van Overdijk said.

“The increase in the number of garages will also expand the second floor of the pit building, which will also benefit the Paddock Club,” van Overdijk said.

“As well as F1, this additional space can also be used for the corporate events that we host during the year, so the investment will be recouped in a relatively short period of time.”

As we reported last August, the historic Zandvoort circuit, host of the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix, is undergoing a significant transformation in the offseason in preparation for more teams joining the grid.

This ambitious project includes expanding the pit lane and constructing a multifunctional building that serves various purposes throughout the year.

The Zandvoort circuit is experiencing a major overhaul, including an extension of the pit lane and expansion of the number of pit boxes, aligning with FIA’s quality standards and enhancing the circuit’s versatility.

The new building housing the pit boxes will be a year-round multifunctional space, accommodating up to 650 people for events like conferences and corporate parties, alongside its primary function during the Dutch Grand Prix.

The renovations extend to Bernie’s Bar & Kitchen and Mickey’s Bar, offering improved culinary experiences, a spectacular roof terrace, and a cozy racing café atmosphere, contributing to Zandvoort’s allure as a premier event location.

The development includes a complete revamp of Bernie’s Bar & Kitchen and Mickey’s Bar. The expansion of Bernie’s Bar & Kitchen not only allows for greater capacity for dining and meetings but also introduces a new roof terrace offering panoramic views. Mickey’s Bar, located adjacent to the renovated pit boxes, is also undergoing a comprehensive renovation, retaining its cozy racing café ambiance with a contemporary twist, perfectly complementing the dynamic atmosphere of the pit lane and its surroundings.

Zandvoort will be adding six pit garages in time for the 2024 Dutch GP. If 1 or 2 additional F1 teams are approved, they will be ready.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

The Andretti-Cadillac team is hoping to hear that they have been approved to field an F1 team as early as 2025.

“We could do with more space to just allow for a bit more safety and also for the pit stops so there’s just more working space,” Dutch GP sporting director Jan Lammers told Autosport.

“In view of that we will have an extension of the pit garages and pit lane next year, so towards the Tarzan corner, Turn 1, we will have an extension of six boxes.

“Should the F1 field of 20 cars ever extend to 22 or 24 we are also ready for it. But for this moment, the primary reason is safety and space.”

Red Bull boss Christian Horner previously objected to adding more teams to the F1 grid and one of the excuses he gave was that some of the pits and paddock cannot accommodate more than 10 teams.

The pedestrian tunnel under the main straight will have to be re-routed and extended to accommodate the garage extension.

“We can just design the tunnel in a different way, “ said Lammers. “We can still maximize that space, that should work.

“Where the exit is now is exactly where those extra garages will be. We will just make the tunnel a little bit longer, and then there won’t be an ‘L’ exit, there will be a straight exit.”

Zandvoort is fighting to stay on the F1 calendar every year and not be forced to alternate every other year with Spa. Formula 1 is demanding they show they are worthy by upgrading their facilities even more.

“We develop in stages,” Lammers told Autosport.

“We’ve done the circuit entry road, that’s improved, it’s newly paved and new tarmac, so it’s all brand new.

“And the pitlane is just the next stage of the development, so there’s a lot more plans for the future. And generally, we improve where we can improve, and we will adapt where we have to adapt.”