- Two legendary corners stand out as signature features of the Formula 1 circuit on the Dutch North Sea coast
- 31 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup line up for season races number five and six
- Porsche Juniors Alessandro Ghiretti and Theo Oeverhaus chase championship leader Robert de Haan
After stops at Imola in Italy and Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland heads to its third Formula 1 venue of the season. Circuit Zandvoort sets the stage for season races five and six, showcasing the ca. 375 kW (510 PS) Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars. Local hero Robert de Haan travels as championship leader to the dune circuit at the Dutch North Sea coast.
“I love Circuit Zandvoort — it’s a technically demanding track with so many iconic corners,” says 18-year-old Proton Huber Competition driver Robert de Haan, looking ahead to the weekend. One of these legendary passages is Tarzan Bocht, a sweeping 180-degree right-hander at the end of the start-finish straight. According to local lore, the corner bears the nickname of a garden owner who agreed to give up his beloved plot for the racetrack – but only on the condition that a corner be named after him.
De Haan, who won both Carrera Cup races at Imola and recently celebrated his debut victory in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup at Monaco, adds: “The Hugenholtz Bocht is also really cool.” Named after Hans Hugenholtz (1914–1995), the track’s designer and longtime director, this corner is one of two banked turns at Zandvoort. The other, the Arie Luyendyk Bocht, features a steep 32 percent banking, surpassing even international benchmarks. Together, these corners create a unique challenge found nowhere else on the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland calendar.
“A fantastic racetrack that truly challenges us drivers,” says Alessandro Ghiretti. Competing for Schumacher CLRT, the Porsche Junior recently secured his first victory in the German Carrera Cup at Spa-Francorchamps, and won the Supercup round in Barcelona last weekend. The Frenchman currently holds second place in the Carrera Cup overall standings, just ahead of fellow Porsche Junior Theo Oeverhaus from Bonk Motorsport. After victory in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup round at Imola, Germany’s Oeverhaus has one goal for Zandvoort: “I’m hoping for two good races in one weekend.”
Among the group of Carrera Cup newcomers, the overall leader also looks ahead for a race on home turf. Proton Huber Competition’s Sacha Norden tops the Rookies standings after four races. In the ProAm category – reserved for drivers without a professional motorsport background – Germany’s Michael Essmann from Team75 Bernhard currently holds first position.
“Since 2019, the holiday vibe and the packed grandstands have made the Zandvoort doubleheader event a true season highlight for our drivers and teams. We also race alongside the DTM for the first time this season – it’s shaping up to be a really special event,” says Thorsten Rückert, Project Manager of the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland.
Racing with synthetic fuel
Committed to cutting CO2 emissions in motorsport, the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland will use the synthetic fuel “DTM Pro Climate” across all eight race weekends in the 2025 season. Partnering with the Carrera Cup, ADAC is also adopting this fuel for the first time for its DTM, ADAC GT Masters, and GT4 Germany series.
The racetrack: Circuit Zandvoort (Netherlands)
Races have been contested at Circuit Zandvoort since 1948, with Formula 1 regularly visiting this track in the dunes of the North Sea coast until the 1985 season. After nearly 40 years away, the Dutch Grand Prix made a celebrated return to the premier motor racing calendar in 2021. Two years earlier, the German Carrera Cup also resumed racing at the motorsport facility near Amsterdam. Last season, eventual champion Larry ten Voorde claimed victory in both races for Proton Huber Competition.
Today’s 4.259-kilometre circuit offers unique challenges, including two steeply banked corners. Its crests and dips often limit drivers’ sightlines from the cockpit. Adding to the difficulty, sea breezes frequently blow sand onto the track, leading to unpredictable grip conditions.
Schedule Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland, Round 3, Circuit Zandvoort (Netherlands)
Friday, 6 June
11:45 – 12:45 hrs: Free Practice
17:30 – 18:05 hrs: Qualifying
Saturday, 7 June
11:30 hrs: Start season race 5 (30 minutes + 1 lap)
Sunday, 8 June
11:35 hrs: Start season race 6 (30 minutes + 1 lap)
Standings Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland (after 4 of 16 races)
1. Robert de Haan (NLD/Proton Huber Competition), 75 points/2 wins
2. Alessandro Ghiretti (FRA/Schumacher CLRT), 69 points/1 win
3. Theo Oeverhaus (DEU/Bonk Motorsport), 54 points
