King Willem-Alexander to Present Trophy at Final F1 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort

The Dutch Grand Prix press office has announced that the winner of Sunday’s race at Zandvoort will receive the prestigious trophy from King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. The podium ceremony will therefore be one of the highlights of what will be the final Formula 1 race at Zandvoort. The King will attend the circuit on Sunday, 23 August, accompanied by Queen Maxima and Princess Alexia. The members of the Dutch royal family will take part in the race-day activities and witness the battle for victory at the Dutch Grand Prix in person. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima have been regular supporters of the home Formula 1 event. Since the Dutch Grand Prix returned to the championship calendar in 2021, they have attended every edition at Zandvoort. Their continued presence has become one of the distinctive features of the Dutch round. Prince Bernhard Jr., the King’s cousin, has also maintained a close connection with the Zandvoort circuit for many years. He became one of the circuit’s co-owners in 2016 and played an active role in its development. However, last month, the Prince announced his decision to withdraw from all of his business interests, including his stake in Zandvoort. Prince Bernhard had presented the winner’s trophy at the Dutch Grand Prix for the past four years. This year, however, the honour will pass to King Willem-Alexander, who will personally present the trophy to the race winner. The occasion will be particularly symbolic given that this year’s event will be the final Formula 1 race at Zandvoort. The circuit’s contract will not be extended beyond the current season, meaning the presence of the Dutch royal family and the trophy presentation will add an additional sense of significance to the final Formula 1 weekend at the venue.