Dutch Grand Prix

About the event:

During the Formula 1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix, Formula 1 returned to Zandvoort on the first weekend of September 2021 after an absence of 36 years. This was a memorable spectacle, as all eyes worldwide were on Zandvoort. With its rich history, unique location in the dunes near the sea, the two new spectacular corners, and Dutch Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen finishing first, the 2021 edition surely won’t be forgotten.

Role of Backbone:

Backbone fully supported the Dutch Grand Prix in collaboration with SportVibes, TIG Sports, and Circuit Zandvoort regarding (technical) production management, including the overlay drawings. Preparation took one year, and the first grandstand was placed at the beginning of August 2021 – seven weeks before the start of the event.

With a total of 90,000 seats, the largest grandstand in the Netherlands was built – which is for instance 1.5 times the number of seats in the Johan Cruijff ArenA. In addition to a Dutch grandstand supplier, we also used German suppliers for this because there simply wasn’t enough stock in the Netherlands alone.

Furthermore, Backbone took care of the endless amount of complex tent constructions, portable buildings, toilets and additional structures to cater around 190,000 fans. Hundreds of trucks were needed to deliver and collect all the material, but there were only 2 access roads for all freight traffic, which made it quite a logistical challenge.

Providing service at the highest level for all stakeholders was quite complex, since countless different interests, stakeholders, and clients were involved in this event. But Backbone managed to support and represent all technical production interests of the Dutch Grand Prix for all stakeholders. The team was on-site for a total of 10 weeks.

Official event photo credits: CM.com Circuit Zandvoort