Max Verstappen’s home Grand Prix gets the axe

Dubai: For Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, 2025 will be a year where he not only lost his world championship to McLaren’s Lando Norris at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, he also lost the No 1 on his car to the British driver. And to add insult to injury, he will be driving his last race at his home Grand Prix in Zandvoort next season.

It was after the Dutch Grand Prix this year that he almost threw in the towel after falling behind by 104 points, before reigniting his campaign with a flourish in the second half of this season. But after next season, the Dutchman will not have his home crowd cheering him on as Portugal will return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2027 and 2028, replacing the Dutch Grand Prix which is slated to be dropped from the calendar after 2026, when it will be held in late August.

Portugal’s Algarve International Circuit near Portimão previously hosted F1 in 2020 and 2021 during the coronavirus pandemic. The two-year deal brings the series back to Portugal after a six-year absence.

"The circuit delivers on-track excitement from the first corner to the checkered flag, and its energy lifts fans out of their seats," F1 president Stefano Domenicali said on Tuesday. "I look forward to working together again to ensure that Portimão returns to the calendar in emphatic style."

Portugal's first F1 race was in Porto in 1958 but was discontinued shortly after. Estoril hosted grands prix from 1984-96, and was where Ayrton Senna claimed his first victory.

Lewis Hamilton won both pandemic races in Portimão and surpassed Michael Schumacher's record of all-time wins with his 92nd victory in 2021.

Next year's world championship begins in Melbourne on March 8, with Norris defending the drivers' title he won earlier this month at the Yas Marina Circuit.