Zandvoort established itself as a World Championship venue and BRM scored their first win at the track.
The Dutch Grand Prix was run exclusively on the Zandvoort circuit for the duration of its existence. The event was popular with both drivers and fans. The track, next to the sea, offered a fast, flowing layout, nestled among the sand dunes.
Racing at Zandvoort dated back to 1939 but it was 1950 before a Dutch Grand Prix was held there, although there had previously been a race called the Zandvoort Grand Prix. The 1950 and 1951 events were both won by Louis Rosier driving a Talbot-Lago, before the race was given World Championship status for 1952.
The 1952 Formula 1 World Championship was run to Formula 2 regulations and Ferrari had the ideal car for the formula in the shape of their 500 model. At Zandvoort they dominated the weekend, taking the first three places. The winner, Alberto Ascari, also took pole and fastest lap. A young Mike Hawthorn put in a commendable drive to finish third in an outclassed Cooper-Bristol, albeit two laps behind the red cars.
Ascari repeated his Dutch Grand Prix victory in 1953, again from pole position. The veteran Giuseppe farina was second while Felice Bonetto and Jose Froilan Gonzalez broke the Ferrari monopoly by finishing third in a shared Maserati.
There was no race in 1954 but the Zandvoort was back on the calendar for 1955. Mercedes scored a 1-2 with Juan-Manuel Fangio leading Stirling Moss home. The result was of some comfort to the German team, still devastated by the involvement of one of their sports cars in the Le Mans disaster the previous week. Luigi Musso completed the podium, third in a Maserati. The Argentinean driver Roberto Mieres put in a commendable performance, setting fastest lap and finishing fourth in his Maserati.
A two year gap followed before the Dutch Grand Prix was reinstated for 1958. Moss led every lap of the race to win for Vanwall. Behind him Harry Schell and Jean Behra scored encouraging second and third places respectively for BRM.
BRM went one better in 1959 when the bearded Swede Jo Bonnier scored the marque’s maiden Formula 1 victory. Jack Brabham and Masten Gregory, both driving Cooper’s, were the only other drivers to finish on the same lap.
Tragedy struck during the 1960 race when Dan Gurney went off at Tarzan corner following a brake hose bursting. The resulting accident killed a spectator. The race was won by Brabham in a Cooper, followed by Innes Ireland in a Lotus and Graham Hill’s BRM.
Ferrari were the team to beat in 1961 and, at Zandvoort, no-one could. Count Wolfgang von Trips was first across the line, followed by his American team-mate Phil Hill. Jim Clark set the fastest lap on his way to finishing third for Lotus. The race was notable for having no retirements or pit-stops.
