Formula One drivers from the Netherlands

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Formula One drivers from the Netherlands
Drivers17[1]
Grands Prix492
Entries510
Starts469
Best season finish1st (2021, 2022, 2023)
Wins58
Podiums104
Pole positions37
Fastest laps32
Points2725.5
First entry1952 Dutch Grand Prix
First win2016 Spanish Grand Prix
Latest win2024 Chinese Grand Prix
Latest entry2024 Chinese Grand Prix
2024 driversMax Verstappen

There have been seventeen Formula One racing drivers from the Netherlands who have taken part in Grand Prix races since 1952.[1] Max Verstappen is the most successful Dutch driver to date, as the only one to have won a Formula One World Championship, to have won a race, or to have taken a pole position.[2][3]

Current drivers[edit]

Max Verstappen, 2016
Max Verstappen
2024 season position: 1st

Max Verstappen[edit]

Max Verstappen, son of former Formula One racing driver Jos Verstappen and Belgian former kart racing champion Sophie Kumpen, began his Formula One career in 2015, driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso, considered Red Bull Racing's secondary F1 team at the time.[4] Aged 17 years and 166 days he became the youngest Formula One driver ever at that time.[5]

From the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, Verstappen was signed to drive with Red Bull Racing,[6] and on 15 May 2016, by winning on his debut for Red Bull, he became the first Dutchman and the youngest driver at that time to win a Grand Prix, aged 18 years, 7 months and 15 days.[7] On 12 December 2021, he also became the first Dutch driver to win a Formula One World Championship.[3] He then continued to take the F1 World Champion title again in 2022 and 2023. Verstappen is due to drive for Red Bull Racing until the end of the 2028 season.[6]

Former drivers[edit]

1950s and 1960s[edit]

Jan Flinterman in his Maserati race-car at the 1952 Dutch Grand Prix

At the 1952 Dutch Grand Prix, Jan Flinterman and Dries van der Lof were the first Dutch drivers to participate in a Formula One race; for both drivers, it was their only one.[1][8][9] In 1957, Carel Godin de Beaufort was the first regular Dutch Formula One driver, and the first Dutch driver to score points, driving in 31 races between 1957 and 1964, before crashing fatally at the 1964 German Grand Prix.[10][11][12]

Three Dutch drivers were entered for the 1962 Dutch Grand Prix: besides Carel Godin de Beaufort, who drove the entire 1962 Formula One season, Ben Pon drove in his first and only Formula One Grand Prix as de Beaufort's teammate. Rob Slotemaker was entered for the race, but did not participate because his car was not ready in time.[10][13]

1970s and 1980s[edit]

Gijs van Lennep (left) and Michael Bleekemolen at the 1977 Dutch Grand Prix

Gijs van Lennep, a successful sportscar driver and two-time winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours, entered 12 Formula One Grands Prix between 1971 and 1975 competing in 8 of them, in which he scored 2 career points.[14] In 1975, Roelof Wunderink entered 6 Grands Prix for Ensign, but scored no points.[15] Boy Hayje entered 8 races in 1976 and 1977, while Michael Bleekemolen entered 5 races in 1977 and 1978; both without scoring points.[16][17]

At the 1979 Argentine Grand Prix, Jan Lammers started his Formula One career with Shadow.[18] In 1980, he qualified a spectacular fourth place for the United States Grand Prix West at Long Beach in an ATS, but failed to score any points after a retirement.[18] In 1982, after 39 Grands Prix, Jan Lammers retired from Formula One for a more successful career in sportscars, winning the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 1990 Daytona 24 Hours.[19] In 1992, Lammers made a two-race comeback in Formula One for March, in Japan and Australia.[18] These races marked his first Formula One appearance since 1982, which is a still-standing record for the longest gap between successive Grands Prix in Formula One as of September 2019.[20] He was signed for the team in 1993 but the team went bankrupt before the season started.[21]

In 1984, Huub Rothengatter made his debut for what was to become a career of 30 races over 3 years, although he scored no points. He would later become the manager of Jos Verstappen.[22]

1990s and 2000s[edit]

Jos Verstappen at the 1994 British Grand Prix

At the end of 1993 Jos Verstappen, after impressing in Formula Opel Lotus and Formula Three, was one of the most wanted upcoming drivers.[23] He was eventually signed as test driver for Benetton for 1994, but made his debut in Brazil after regular driver JJ Lehto injured himself in pre-season testing.[24] Verstappen became the default race driver in France, and would go on to score a podium in Hungary and Belgium.[25] He was replaced for the last two races of 1994, and moved to Simtek in 1995.[26][27] This would mark the beginning of a career mostly spent in mid-field and back-field teams such as Arrows, Tyrrell and Minardi.[27] After a career in which he drove 107 Grands Prix, spanning 9 years and scoring 17 points, Verstappen retired after the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix.[28]

Christijan Albers in the Minardi, who, together with...
...Robert Doornbos, were teammates in 2005

After impressing in Formula Three and finishing Rookie of the Year International Formula 3000 with a victory in Belgium in 2004, Robert Doornbos was hired as Friday test driver for Jordan Grand Prix for the 2004 Chinese Grand Prix.[29] Doornbos impressed as test driver for the final few races of the season, and was reappointed for the 2005 season, although he raced with a Monegasque racing license that year.[30] At the 2005 German Grand Prix, he joined fellow Dutch driver Christijan Albers at Minardi, who debuted earlier that year as the team's regular driver.[31] In 2006, Doornbos was appointed Friday test and reserve driver at Red Bull Racing, and would replace Christian Klien for the last 3 races of the season.[29] After just 11 races over 4 years' time, his Formula One career ended as he went to drive the Champ Car World Series in 2007.[32]

Following two successful seasons in DTM, Christijan Albers made his debut in the 2005 Australian Grand Prix for Minardi.[33] Aside from a 5th point finish in the 6-car 2005 United States Grand Prix though, Albers's career was largely unsuccessful.[34] He was released by Spyker after driving 46 races following the 2007 British Grand Prix.[33][35] In July 2014, Caterham announced Christijan Albers as the team's new team principal, he was in charge until the teams collapse at the end of 2014.[36]

2010s and 2020s[edit]

Giedo van der Garde at the 2013 Belgian Grand Prix

Giedo van der Garde's first steps into Formula One was when he was confirmed as test and reserve driver for 2007 for Super Aguri.[37] However, due to contract conflicts with Spyker, who had also signed him as test and reserve driver, he ended up not taking part in any Grand Prix.[38] Following good results in the GP2 Series, Van der Garde was signed as test and reserve driver for Caterham in Formula One, while racing for the team in GP2.[39][40] After debuting for Caterham in 2013, Giedo van der Garde became Sauber's official test and reserve driver for 2014.[40][41][42] He had a race contract with Sauber for 2015, but following a legal dispute with the team, did not drive in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.[40][43] Following the threat of follow-up action in Malaysia, all charges were dropped and van der Garde left Formula One.[44]

Verstappen driving for Red Bull at the 2022 British Grand Prix

Following a successful rise through the karting ranks and a very successful first year in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship, Max Verstappen, son of former F1 driver Jos Verstappen, joined the Red Bull Junior Team.[45] On 18 August 2014, it was announced that he would debut in Formula One in 2015 for the Toro Rosso team.[46] He won the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix in his debut race for Red Bull at the age of 18, becoming the youngest-ever winner of a Grand Prix and the first racing under the Dutch flag.[5][47] He also became the first Dutch F1 driver to win the World Championship in 2021, going on to win two further championships during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He has raced for Red Bull since the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix and is due to race with them until 2028.

In September 2022, Mercedes test driver Nyck de Vries debuted for Williams (in place of an ill Alex Albon) at the Italian Grand Prix, finishing ninth, scoring two points on his debut. In the 2023 season De Vries joined the AlphaTauri F1 team. De Vries was signed for Scuderia AlphaTauri for 2023 alongside Yuki Tsunoda, replacing Pierre Gasly who moved to Alpine.[48] However, prior to the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix, it was announced that De Vries would be replaced by Daniel Ricciardo for the remainder of the season due to underperforming in the first ten races.[49][50][51]

Timeline[edit]

Drivers Active years Entries Wins Podiums Career points Poles Fastest laps Championships
Jan Flinterman 1952 1 0 0 0 0 0 –
Dries van der Lof 1952 1 0 0 0 0 0 –
Carel Godin de Beaufort 1957–1964 31 (28 starts) 0 0 4 0 0 –
Ben Pon 1962 1 0 0 0 0 0 –
Rob Slotemaker 1962* 1 (0 starts) 0 0 0 0 0 –
Gijs van Lennep 1971, 1973–1975 10 (8 starts) 0 0 2 0 0 –
Roelof Wunderink 1975 6 (3 starts) 0 0 0 0 0 –
Boy Hayje 1976–1977 7 (3 starts) 0 0 0 0 0 –
Michael Bleekemolen 1977–1978 5 (1 start) 0 0 0 0 0 –
Jan Lammers 1979–1982, 1992 41 (23 starts) 0 0 0 0 0 –
Huub Rothengatter 1984–1986 30 (25 starts) 0 0 0 0 0 –
Jos Verstappen 1994–1998, 2000–2001, 2003 107 (106 starts) 0 2 17 0 0 –
Christijan Albers 2005–2007 46 0 0 4 0 0 –
Robert Doornbos 2006** 3 0 0 0 0 0 –
Giedo van der Garde 2013 19 0 0 0 0 0 –
Max Verstappen 2015–2024 190 (190 starts) 58 102 2696.5 37 32 3 (2021, 2022, 2023)
Nyck de Vries 2022–2023 11 (11 starts) 0 0 2 0 0 –
Source:[10]

* Was entered for the 1962 Dutch Grand Prix but did not participate because his car was not ready in time.

** Competed under Monegasque racing license in 2005.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Netherlands". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  2. ^ "Netherlands – Drivers". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  3. ^ a b "2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix report and highlights: Brilliant Verstappen claims maiden title after victory in Abu Dhabi season finale after late Safety Car drama". formula1.com. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Max VERSTAPPEN – Seasons". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Statistics Drivers – Grands Prix – By age". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Max Verstappen commits to Red Bull until the end of 2028". formula1.com. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Statistics Drivers – Wins – By age". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  8. ^ "Jan FLINTERMAN". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  9. ^ "Dries van der LOF". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  10. ^ a b c "Netherlands – Grands Prix started". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  11. ^ "Statistics Nations – Points – By number – Netherlands". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  12. ^ "Germany 1964 – Result". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  13. ^ "Netherlands 1962 – Race entrants". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  14. ^ "Gijs van LENNEP". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  15. ^ "Roelof WUNDERINK". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  16. ^ "Boy HAYJE". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  17. ^ "Michael BLEEKEMOLEN". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  18. ^ a b c "Jan LAMMERS – Involvement". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  19. ^ "Jan LAMMERS". StatsF1.com (in French). Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  20. ^ "Statistics Drivers – Grands Prix – Interval between two". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  21. ^ "March". StatsF1.com (in French). Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  22. ^ "Huub ROTHENGATTER". StatsF1.com (in French). Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  23. ^ Hallbery, Andy (3 December 2009). "Remembering 1993's F1 young driver test". Autosport.com. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  24. ^ "Brazil 1994". StatsF1.com (in French). Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  25. ^ "Jos VERSTAPPEN – Podiums". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  26. ^ "Benetton – Grands Prix started 1994". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  27. ^ a b "Jos VERSTAPPEN – Grands Prix started". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  28. ^ "Jos VERSTAPPEN". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  29. ^ a b "Robert DOORNBOS – Involvement". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  30. ^ "F1 Season Entry List 2005". 16 February 2006. Archived from the original on 16 February 2006. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  31. ^ "Minardi – Grands Prix started 2005". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  32. ^ "Robert DOORNBOS". StatsF1.com (in French). Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  33. ^ a b "Christijan ALBERS". StatsF1.com (in French). Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  34. ^ "Christijan ALBERS – Points". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  35. ^ "Christijan Albers loses Spyker seat". ITV-F1.com. ITV Sport. Archived from the original on 6 March 2008. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  36. ^ "Caterham to continue racing as sale is confirmed". www.racefans.net. 2 July 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  37. ^ "Super Aguri names Van der Garde". www.grandprix.com. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  38. ^ Elizalde, Jonathan Noble and Pablo (5 February 2007). "Spyker coy on van der Garde conflict". Autosport.com. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  39. ^ "Caterham sign Giedo van der Garde as test driver". ESPN UK. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  40. ^ a b c "Giedo van der GARDE – Involvement". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  41. ^ "Caterham promote reserve driver Giedo van der Garde". BBC Sport. 5 February 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  42. ^ Elizalde, Pablo (21 January 2014). "Giedo van der Garde joins Sauber as 2014 Formula 1 reserve driver". Autosport.com. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  43. ^ "Van der Garde set for second Sauber seat in 2015". www.motorsport.com. 2 November 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  44. ^ "Giedo van der Garde reaches settlement with Sauber Formula 1 team". Autosport.com. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  45. ^ "Max Verstappen per direct opgenomen in opleiding Red Bull". verstappen.nl (in Dutch). Nu.nl. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  46. ^ "Max Verstappen to race with Toro Rosso F1 team in 2015". autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. 18 August 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  47. ^ "Netherlands – Wins". StatsF1.com. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  48. ^ "BREAKING: AlphaTauri announce Nyck de Vries for 2023 alongside Tsunoda | Formula 1®". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  49. ^ Nichol, Jake (11 July 2023). "Reports: 'de Vries loses AlphaTauri seat with immediate effect'". Racing News 365. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  50. ^ Cleeren, Filip (11 July 2023). "AlphaTauri F1 set to replace De Vries for remainder of 2023". motorsport.com. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  51. ^ "Breaking: Ricciardo to replace De Vries at AlphaTauri from the Hungarian Grand Prix". Formula1.com. 11 July 2023.
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