Interesting trends are being observed at the Dutch Grand Prix.

F1 Grand Prix of Netherlands - Practice

Fans at the Dutch Grand Prix are starting to ‘lose interest in Max Verstappen’ according to a shirt vendor outside of the Zandvoort Circuit. Instead, McLaren and Ferrari have been out-selling the four-time world champion’s merchandise. Verstappen has a huge cohort of fans who travel across the European continent to back their favourite driver.

Dubbed the ‘Orange Army’, his loyal legion of supporters floods the grandstands at races in Belgium and Austria, but it is at Zandvoort where their presence is most significant. The home hero won each of the first three races at the redeveloped Zandvoort Circuit when it was reintroduced to the schedule in 2021, although Lando Norris came out on top for McLaren in 2024, sparking a tense title fight.

While the crowd on the Netherlands’ north coast remains firmly in support of its home driver, fan allegiance is starting to splinter. Speaking to Dutch news outlet NOS, Jens, a merchandise vendor by the track, offered a fascinating insight.

“The time has come for people to lose interest in Verstappen,” he said. “That’s been happening all over Europe since last year. I’m also seeing fewer Dutch people going abroad. In Austria, there were 50,000 people in the early years; this year I saw about 15,000.

“AUTO-PRIX-F1-NED

Verstappen’s fans will need to savour their experience at the Dutch GP this weekend, for next year’s running is set to be its final appearance on the F1 calendar. The organisers made the decision not to pursue a contract extension beyond 2026 when negotiating the current terms.

“It’s, of course, something that I’m sad about that it’s not going to continue. But on the other hand, also, I’m very proud of what they have done,” Verstappen confessed ahead of the 2025 season.

When I started in Formula One, I would have never imagined that we would go back to Zandvoort. And the races that we’ve had there, the event that they put on, I have a lot of respect for that. And I’m proud that I played a part in that as well. And seeing all the fans there was and is, of course, amazing.”

Unfortunately for Verstappen’s loyal fans, there seems to be little chance of a home triumph on Sunday. Norris and Oscar Piastri looked untouchable throughout the practice sessions and ended FP3 with nearly a one-second advantage over the rest of the field on qualifying simulation runs.