If you’ve been following the F1 racing so far this season, you’re likely already up to speed on who’s leading the grid! With the seemingly-unstoppable Red Bull powerhouse Max Verstappen currently trailing Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, there’s plenty of fuel left in the tank for the season ahead – and, as August draws to a close, the racing action accelerates across to Zandvoort in the Netherlands.

We’re just over halfway through the F1 season, with the Dutch Grand Prix being the 15th race of 24 for 2025. The racing’s set to finish in Abu Dhabi in December – but no one’s too certain about who’s going to come away with the Driver’s Championship.

If you’re big on F1 and are planning a European trip to take in the racing action in Zandvoort, there are plenty of things you should be packing and planning for – not least, a handy eSIM that’ll keep you connected to mobile data while you cheer on your favourites, trackside. 

First of all, however, let’s quickly review what to expect from this year’s Dutch GP.

What to Expect from the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix

The 2025 Dutch GP will take place across the weekend starting August 29th at the Circuit Zandvoort, just north of Zandvoort itself in the Netherlands. Specifically, the race weekend starts as of 12:30, local time, with the first practice session.

As with all other F1 race weekends, there’s a further two practice sessions, with the third taking place the same day as the qualifying event, which unfolds at around 3pm local time. As any F1 fan will tell you, qualifying is super important – as it’s here where drivers get to lay down their best times after three practices, and said lap times are ranked to decide where they start on the grid for the main race.

That means plenty of F1 fans will want to take in the qualifying, at least, on top of the main race. Part of the thrill is holding out to see who’s going to get pole position – an advantageous position much of the time! That said, this circuit has more than a few curious twists and corners – meaning drivers and teams will want to take things pretty strategically until the last few laps.

Then, the big race itself will take place at 3pm local time on August 31st – culminating in the latest dramatic installment in what’s been an eye-opening season.

It’s also a tense opportunity for Lewis Hamilton to retain his lap record, which he set here back in 2021. Hamilton, who’s currently 6th in the Driver’s Championship, managed a blistering 1:11’097 – across a circuit measuring 4.259km!

All in all, drivers finishing the race will have covered over 306km of ground across a gruelling 72 laps. Not for your average Sunday drivers – and with Verstappen looking to close the gap on the two leading McLaren stars, it’s set to be one to watch.

So, why not take a trip to the Netherlands and build a weekend around the Dutch GP? It’s been a return race across the decades, with F1 drivers having first traversed the track all the way back in 1952 – the team at Circuit Zandvoort really know how to put on a show.

Why You’ll Need an eSIM

OK – I’m with you. Chances are, if you’re travelling to Zandvoort primarily for the racing, you’re probably going to spend most of your time watching it unfold! However, there are plenty of good reasons why you should load up an eSIM before you leave, so you’re well-connected when you get to the Netherlands.

Without an eSIM, you’re at the mercy of either having to find a completely new, temporary SIM from a local supplier, or relying on your usual SIM. In the first case, that means having to shell out for a local network card that might not even give you the credit and coverage you need. In the second, unless you’re super careful, you’ll be at risk of racking up data roaming costs. Do you really want to come home to a sky-high mobile bill?

With an eSIM, you load up your mobile data for your trip before you arrive. SIMOVO’s Netherlands eSIMs give you access to the best speeds available from KPN and Vodafone across the country – and you’ll pay for what you need, for however long you need it for.

That means as soon as you touch down, you’ll have access to up to 50GB of data to last up to 180 days. If you’re just travelling for the Grand Prix, you might prefer loading up a smaller package, say 1GB for a week. Or, you can buy and download an unlimited Netherlands eSIM, giving you a fair-use amount of up to 2GB a day, resetting every 24 hours, for as little as a day trip – and for a maximum of two weeks.

The whole F1 experience is one you’ll want to document and remember – and with a reliable eSIM, you’re always connected to the internet. That means no having to hunt around for a WiFi hotspot to share photos and videos, and you’re always in touch with loved ones through instant messaging apps.

Plus, if you’re making a full holiday of it, you’ll probably want access to apps such as Google Maps and TripAdvisor so you can find things to see and do elsewhere in the Netherlands. 

Crucially, you might not realise you need mobile data until it’s too late – and SIMOVO will keep you connected to speedy, stable, and secure internet providers for as long as you intend to travel.

F1 is only half as fun when you’re watching it online or on TV – why not go see it in person? The Dutch GP is still a few days away at the time of writing, so make sure to book your tickets, flights, and accommodation – and before any of that, grab an affordable eSIM from SIMOVO to make sure you’re covered for data.