Zandvoort General Admission Tips: Views, Tickets, What to bring

Alex Gassman
Zandvoort general admission 1 & 2 viewpoints

Complete guide to Zandvoort General Admission and attending the Dutch Grand Prix, based on my trip to the Zandvoort F1 race weekend in 2023.

It includes a video showing the view from every single General Admission viewing area around the whole circuit, in both General Admission 1 and General Admission 2 zones.

It also includes information on tickets, facilities, food & drink, what to bring, what time to arrive and much, much more.

Contents

What are the General Admission areas at Zandvoort?

There are two different General Admission areas at Zandvoort:

  • General Admission 1
  • General Admission 2

There is also an Open Viewing Area, which anyone with either General Admission or any grandstand ticket can access.

The map below shows each of the different Zandvoort General Admission areas.

Map showing Zandvoort General Admission areas at the Dutch F1 Grand Prix

And here’s the official Zandvoort circuit map from the 2023 Dutch GP:

Zandvoort General Admission tickets

If you purchase Zandvoort General Admission 1 tickets, you cannot access GA 2. If you purchase General Admission 2 tickets you cannot access GA1.

The price for either General Admission zone is about the same, which is pretty surprising considering you have a huge amount more to see with General Admission 1.

General Admission tickets usually sell out very quickly on the official Dutch GP website (usually the year before the race). 

If that’s the case, I’d recommend purchasing tickets through ViaGoGo instead. I’ve used them a number of times for F1 tickets and have always had a great experience with them.

Grandstand options

If you decide after reading this guide that actually you want a nice comfy, reserved seat during the Dutch Grand Prix then you’ll want a grandstand. 

Grandstand ticket holders have access to all of the General Admission areas as well as their pre-booked grandstand.

Check out our guides to spectating in each of the grandstands at Zandvoort for more info on each.

Zandvoort General Admission views

When I went to the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix I walked around the whole circuit and took a video of the view from every single viewing point. It takes just over an hour to walk around the entire track.

I’ve put all the different views together in the video below. Check it out to get an idea of the kind of vantage points you can expect from Zandvoort General Admission 1 & 2, plus the Open Viewing Area.

General Admission 1

My favourite General Admission spot at the whole Zandvoort track was on the outside of the circuit just before Turn 2, as shown at 1:05 in the video above.

Here there was a hill that sloped up away from the circuit and if you could get a spot on the top of the hill you had a great vantage point of Turn 2 and the entry to the banked Turn 3.

During the support races there was lots of room on the top of the hill so it was easy to get a good spot.

But during the F1 sessions it quickly filled up and there was no room on the top of the hill unless you’d already claimed a spot.

So sitting on the flatter ground nearer the circuit was the only option. There was plenty of space to sit but the view of the track wasn’t so good.

There is also a large TV screen here, specifically for General Admission spectators. The only other place that has that is Turn 8.

The Turn 8 General Admission area was my second favourite spot to view from, shown at 2:45 in the video above.

There’s a steep grassy (muddy) bank on the edge of the circuit. Dig yourself in to that and not only can you see a TV but you have a great view of Turn 8 and the entry to Turn 9.

General Admission 2

4:00 in the video above shows the view from the Zandvoort General Admission 2 area. And it’s not very good. All you can see is Turn 13 and a screen to your left.

Your view of anything prior to Turn 13 is blocked by the adjacent Arena Out grandstand. I would not recommend General Admission 2 tickets to anyone.

F1 Fanzone

The F1 Fanzone is on the outside of Turn 14. At the 2023 Dutch GP there were F1 simulators, a pit-stop challenge, virtual driver selfie booths, countless merchandise stalls and plenty of food and drinks vendors.

The queues for the activities were huge in between F1 sessions. But whilst the F1 cars were on track the queues were practically non-existent.

Below is our team for the Pit Stop Challenge. Me on the left, Greg from FanAmp in the middle and some random guy we recruited to be our wheel-taker-offer on the right.

There wasn’t much cover from the rain in the F1 Fanzone. There were only two large temporary rotundas, one in the Fan Zone and one by the main stage, that offered any shelter from the elements. And when it rained these were packed with people.

Food & Drink at the Dutch GP

There are countless food and drink vendors around the whole circuit. You’re never more than a couple of minutes’ walk away from one.

 The majority of them will be selling pizza, hot dogs, croquettes (grilled cheese sandwiches), pasta, a kebab, poffertjes (like fluffy mini pancakes) or some interesting combination of those.

Here are some food prices from the 2023 Dutch GP:

  • Fries – 5.50 Euros
  • Hot dog – 7.00 Euros
  • Croquette – 7.00 Euros
  •  ‘Turkish Pizza Doner’ (strange combo of a pizza and a kebab, would not recommend) – 9.00 Euros
  • Hot pasta bowl – 10.00 Euros

If you want beer then unsurprisingly Heineken is the only real option. There’s also a number of soft and non-alcoholic drinks available. 

Here’s some drinks prices from the Dutch Grand Prix:

  • Heineken (0.5 litre) – 6.20 Euros
  • Soft drink / non-alcoholic beer – 3.50 Euros
  • Water – 4.50 Euros

You don’t need to buy water. Bring a refillable bottle and use one of the free water refill stations dotted around the spectator areas.

Water station at the Dutch Grand Prix

I only saw 4 of these on my journey around the whole track but wasn’t really looking out for them, so I’m sure there’s more.

Can you bring your own food and drink?

Officially, no. Unofficially, yes. I had a backpack on and filled it with snacks, energy bars, a few pre-made sandwiches, some fruit and some nuts. 

My bag was searched on the way in but my supplies were right down at the bottom and the security guard didn’t seem bothered.

I’d definitely recommend doing this as it can save you a good chunk of money, rather than relying on the food at the circuit.

Officially you are allowed to bring baby food or food for medical purposes.

Can you bring your own alcohol?

No. You’re not allowed to bring your own booze in to the circuit. You have to buy beer at the track.

Money

All vendors at Zandvoort have contactless readers and accept card. Nobody was using or accepting cash.

Commentary

The commentary on the loudspeakers around the circuit was in both Dutch and English, and depending on where you sit it’s not always very easy to hear.

There’s a couple of options. One is to purchase one of the extortionate pairs of F1 ear muffs with built-in commentary. These are sold at numerous places around the circuit, but cost 95 Euros!

F1 headphones and ear defenders for sale at the Dutch GP

Another option is to pay for one month’s subscription of the F1 TV Pro app which gives you live access to commentary and coverage of the race on your phone. You could listed to that on headphones whilst sat at the track watching the race.

I found cell and internet signal on my phone to be great around the circuit the whole time I was there.

Another option would be to tune in to the Grand Prix Radio station (only available in Holland) but the commentary will be in Dutch. 

Camping chairs

Camping chairs are on the list of items prohibited at the Dutch Grand Prix.

I saw a couple of people with tiny collapsible stools that they must have snuck in in their backpacks, but apart from that everyone was either stood up or sat on the floor on a blanket.

What time to arrive

Zandvoort spectator gates open at 8:00am each day of the Dutch Grand Prix weekend.

On Saturday, qualifying day, I arrived at 9.30am and had to queue for just 5 minutes to get in.

Zandvoort F1 Main Entrance

I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to find a decent spot in the General Admission viewing areas at that time.

Sunday is a lot busier and if you want to get a good GA view point you need to arrive at least 30 minutes before the gates open.

Getting to the circuit

See the full guide on Zandvoort travel & transport for all the different options on getting to the circuit.

What to wear

See our full Zandvoort dress code guide for some tips on what to wear to the Dutch GP.

If it looks like it’s going to be wet, there’s no ponchos or raincoats for sale at the circuit so make sure you have one in advance.

You’re not allowed umbrellas, but I took a small one in and used it when sat on the floor in a General Admission viewing area to keep the worst of the rain off me.

Umbrellas are definitely not allowed in grandstands, however.

If it does rain it will get muddy, so bring some shoes you’re happy to get dirty.

Mud and Puddles at the Dutch GP at Zandvoort

What to bring to the Dutch Grand Prix

Here’s a list of items to consider bringing to the Dutch Grand Prix, for Zandvoort General Admission or grandstand ticket holders:

General

  • Tickets – printed or easily available (already downloaded) on your phone
  • Money – cards, contactless payment
  • Rucksack – small to medium size

Weather Protection

  • Sun cream (even if it’s not that sunny it helps to stop wind burn)
  • UV protection lip balm
  • Sun cap / hat
  • Sun glasses
  • Waterproof everything – jacket / trousers / cagoule, even a waterproof rucksack (or cover) can help keep your bag dry
  • Waterproof poncho is a good idea as it can cover your backpack too, and is good for keeping you dry on a bicycle
  • Warm clothes if it’s going to be cold
  • Windproof clothes / snood
  • Gloves
  • Thick socks
  • Waterproof shoes / boots that are comfy and you’re happy to get dirty.
  • Hand warmers 

Electronics

  • Fully charged phone
  • Pay for F1 TV Pro for one month and download the app for the weekend so you can watch or listen to live coverage / commentary.
  • In-ear headphones to connect to your phone
  • A set of noise cancelling over-ear headphones to go over the in-ear headphones from your phone. They help cancel out the noise of the passing F1 cars so you can hear the commentary more easily.
  • Battery bank / power pack
  • Still camera with zoom lens
  • Video camera
  • Spare camera batteries
  • Spare memory cards

Spectating

  • Ear plugs or ear defenders, especially for young kids
  • Small Binoculars
  • Picnic rug or something waterproof to put on the ground to sit on
  • Cushion (equally useful on grandstand seats)

Food & Drink

  • Food – you’re not allowed to bring your own food in to Zandvoort. However, small snacks and sandwiches should be fine.
  • Drinks – You can get away with bringing a couple of small soft drink cans or plastic bottles in, but no glass.
  • Small bag for rubbish – don’t leave any litter!
  • Tissues / wet wipes

Prohibited items

Below is a list of prohibited items taken from the official Dutch GP rules. 

Final thoughts on Zandvoort General Admission

Zandvoort General Admission 1 is a great experience. The track is much smaller than somewhere like Spa, and whilst you don’t have such incredible scenic views it’s much more managable to walk around it and find a decent spot to view from.

General Admission 2 is definitely not worth it. The viewing area is tiny and you can’t see much at all.

If you don’t want to go for the whole weekend and aren’t too bothered about having to see the race, my suggestion would be to get a Saturday-only General Admission ticket. 

For just 75 Euros you get to enjoy qualifying (which has been great all year), soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the full F1 experience. Now that is great value.

If I was going again, would I pay the extra for a grandstand seat? Well the place to be is in the Arena Grandstands and these are a lot more expensive, but the atmosphere would go up another level and you’d be able to see one of the best overtaking spots on the track. So I’d probably save up and do that.

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Alex Gassman

I‘m Alex. I write F1 and motorsport travel guides based on my experience as racing driver and full-time motorsport nerd. I’ve traveled the world watching F1 and other racing series.

I started oversteer48 with the aim of helping other motorsport fans who are planning on watching some racing themselves.

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Joe

Is the open viewing area the only place you can go if you have grandstand tickets?

Also for the cards do they require PIN? Seems like it depends on the retailer over there (from the US).

Sergio GC

Hello, how are you? I wanted to ask you what time the practices, Qualy and race end on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and then how long should I stay to watch post-race events?

Thank you

Debbie Hughes

We are complete F1 novices and want to take our 2 grandchildren (15 and 17) who are mad FI fans for an F1 experience.Can you tell me anything about the SuperFriday that they are advertising?

Danielle

Hi Alex,
Hope your well! Never been to a race before and just wanted to check, we have 3 day GA1 ticket, we don’t need any extra admission on top for the super Friday events do we? Love all the info you have given, really helpful!!!

eve and leah

saved our lives for tomorrow thank you so much!

Simon

Alex

Just to say I came across this website by chance looking at information on the Dutch Grand Prix for 2025.

I’ve been to a few F1 races in the past (not Netherlands) but I am blown away by the volume of information and guidance you provide on this site, please keep up the good work!

Out of interest I am looking at 1 or 2 days GA flying either Saturday to Sunday night or Sunday morning to Sunday night. I feel it would be worth the hotel night to give myself more time to soak up the atmosphere (Sloterdijk hotels around £170 just now), would that be your recommendation?

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