Racing
© Jonathan Borba
Prince Bernhard van Oranje-Nassau has sold his stake in Circuit Zandvoort ahead of the final Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix on August 23, saying the mission to bring F1 back to the Netherlands is complete.
Bernhard and business partner Meno de Jong acquired Zandvoort in 2016 and were credited with helping restore the Dutch Grand Prix to the calendar in 2021 after a 36-year absence. Under the current arrangement, Zandvoort will have hosted six Formula 1 races by the time this year’s event is run, with the race contract expiring after 2026 and not being renewed.
In a statement, Prince Bernhard van Oranje-Nassau, a member of the Dutch royal family and the outgoing Zandvoort stakeholder, said: “The mission has been accomplished. We brought F1 back to the Netherlands, and Zandvoort has been on the world stage for six races. We can’t ask for any more results. That’s why we needed the courage to make this decision.” He added that he would pass on his stake to the partners with whom he built that success.
The transaction also covered Bernhard’s interests in other businesses and real estate, with stakes transferred to de Jong and Coen Grünefeld. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Bernhard told FORMULE 1 Magazine he would look back with pride on what the organizers created around the event, calling it “the best Formula 1 event in the history of Formula 1.” He said Zandvoort had made an impact both in the Netherlands and internationally, and described the race as a showcase for the country.
He also framed the sale as the close of one chapter rather than a withdrawal from the sport. Bernhard said it was now “time for the next chapters,” with his focus shifting toward new ventures in artificial intelligence while he remains involved in motorsport.
That makes his exit significant beyond the ownership change itself. The figure who helped drive Formula 1’s return to Zandvoort is leaving just as the circuit prepares to stage its final Dutch Grand Prix for the foreseeable future.