7 moments you might have missed at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix

Set against a backdrop of red, white, and blue flags amid the memorable orange of the fans in the grandstands, while Zandvoort’s ‘Last Lap’ might not have given the home crowd its fairy tale ending, it certainly delivered a rollercoaster of a race.

Reigning World Champion Lando Norris claimed back-to-back Grand Prix victories with a strategic masterclass and some sterling overtakes, sharing the podium with Championship leader Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, who won Saturday’s Sprint ahead of Charles Leclerc, with Norris in third.

There was to be no return to the podium on home soil for Max Verstappen , after the Dutch driver walked away from a heavy crash at the end of the opening lap. But the action on the track was just part of what made this Dutch Grand Prix weekend special – here are some off-track moments you might have missed…

Meeting of the Champions

A home Grand Prix is always special, even for an experienced driver like Verstappen – though the four-time World Champion may have met his match on two wheels, having hosted Dutch cycling star Demi Vollering ahead of the weekend’s racing.

The two-time winner of the Tour de France Femmes in 2023 and 2026, as well as winner of the Giro d’Italia Women 2026 and two-time winner of the Vuelta a España in 2024 and 2025, Vollering signed her latest yellow jersey for the Red Bull driver ahead of his last home race in Zandvoort – and was also treated to a hot lap of the track.

That wasn’t Max’s only shirt-signing episode of the weekend. While on stage with Liam Lawson for some time with the fans, the host asked him to sign a shirt for a young Verstappen fan on his birthday. One problem: it was a Ferrari shirt!

Nice weather for ducks

Nothing says “the summer break is over” like a rainy day on your return to the paddock. On Thursday, the weather was anything but sunny in Zandvoort – so why not have a bit of fun with puddles and rubber ducks?

Yes, rubber ducks. McLaren did not miss the opportunity for a soggy side quest with two ducks in the rain.

Clearly the McLaren admin was not the only one having fun in full-wet conditions.

Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon tried to steal the show from the rubber ducks with some warm-up laps in the rain on go-karts. The Haas drivers looked recharged and ready for anything the second half of the season will bring them on and off the track.

Football is back in the paddock

Not only has Formula 1 returned to action in Europe, but football seasons are kicking off across the continent. This weekend saw the Premier League teams back on the pitch, and two of F1’s British drivers decided to test their knowledge and their skills.

George Russell has proved his powers of prediction, or has he? With his rundown of the finishing order for the entire 2026/2027 Premier League table.

The next question is, how many will he have right at the end of the season?

Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, was showcasing his footie skills from the Ferrari motorhome, having some fun with the “one-touch challenge” – who can beat Sir Lewis in the paddock?

Brick-o Hulkenberg

Birthday boy Nico Hulkenberg returned from the summer break just in time to celebrate his 39th birthday in the paddock with the Audi crew and team mate Gabriel Bortoleto.

Among the many birthday wishes and gifts, the Hulk was particularly happy with his new toy: a special Audi steering wheel made of, what else? Lego.

Spyker returns to the grid

Lego may have stolen the show by providing cars for the drivers’ parade at Miami and Silverstone in recent times, but the race organisers had a slick trick up their sleeve for the Dutch Grand Prix’s swansong.

Homegrown marque Spyker, who appeared in Formula 1 for one season in 2007, was front and centre for the ceremonial lap at Zandvoort as a fleet of 22 C8 Spyders carried the drivers around the track.

Was that…a T-Rex on track?

The drivers may take centre stage, but the marshals have become fan favourites in their own right. For Zandvoort's final appearance on the F1 calendar, they delivered one last unforgettable performance.

A few members of the trackside crew were spotted sporting inflatable dinosaur costumes as they waved the drivers through during the parade lap – a tribute to Trix, the tyrannosaurus rex fossil housed in nearby Leiden and named after the former Queen Beatrix, perhaps?

Lando’s perfect exit music

Lando Norris’s summer break seems to have had the desired effect. The reigning World Champion bookended his three weeks away with victories in Hungary and the Netherlands – and a familiar face was on hand to help him celebrate in Zandvoort.

Having caught up with his pal Martin Garrix while on holiday during the DJ’s Ibiza residency, the Dutchman was on hand – and the decks – to bid a final F1 farewell to the track with an epic post-race set.