The attraction of Zandvoort - jewel in the ADAC GT Masters crown

• Ex-Formula 1 track is venue for penultimate ADAC GT Masters meeting of 2016
• Circuit Park Zandvoort technically very demanding for drivers
• Holiday makers delight close to North Sea beaches

Munich: The battle for the title in the 2016 ADAC GT Masters 2016 is entering a crucial phase. Zandvoort will be the venue for the penultimate Super Sports Car League meeting, 19th - 21st August. The ex-Formula 1 circuit set amidst the North Sea dunes is technically demanding for drivers but is also very special away from the sporting action.

Waves crash against the white beach, children build sand castles. Distinctive beach bars invite you to linger, while fish stalls fry seafood of all kinds - this is Zandvoort. The Dutch municipality in the province of North Holland is a real holiday paradise thanks to its location on the North Sea. Half of its around 17,000 inhabitants work in the tourism industry.

"Zandvoort has a truly wonderful atmosphere," said Audi driver Xavier Maassen (36, NL, Aust Motorsport). "My girlfriend is always pleased when I'm racing in Zandvoort. She doesn't bother to come with me to the track but heads straight for the beach and makes it a holiday weekend. There are many circuits in Europe that are literally in the back of beyond where the only thing to look forward to is a night in a hotel, but there are lots of ways to spend your free time in Zandvoort."

For example, by visiting Bloemendaal just three kilometres away. "There are always loads of young people there. You can have a really good night out in the many beach bars," said fellow Dutchman, Lamborghini driver Kelvin Snoeks (28, NL, HB Racing WDS Bau). He's got another top tip for something to do: "Just hop on a train to Amsterdam which is only about 30 kilometres away. Amsterdam is always well worth a visit."

However, Zandvoort as a circuit is also very much associated with tradition. The Circuit Park Zandvoort, just 350 metres from the North Sea beaches, was inaugurated in 1948. Some 30 Formula 1 grand prix races were staged on the original circuit between the 1950s and 1980s. Following rebuilding work, races are now held only on the 4.307-kilometre version of the track. Set in the middle of an extensive area of dunes, the circuit has appeared on the ADAC GT Masters race calendar in 2012, 2014 and 2015. The Super Sports Car League will again stage two races at Zandvoort in 2016. The local Dutch drivers in particular are looking forward to their personal season highlight.

"I've already contested so many races in so many different racing cars here in Zandvoort, and it was a real pleasure every time," said Peter Hoevenaars (21, NL, Montaplast by Land-Motorsport). "The track is simply unique. This is a real old-school circuit with rough tarmac that roller-coasters up and down. There are crests that are basically taken blind. The track is technically very demanding for drivers. You have to drive very aggressively if you want to be fast."

But there's another danger typical of the Circuit Park that racing drivers have no control over. "The wind can play a major role in Zandvoort," said Lamborghini driver Jaap van Lagen (39, NL, HB Racing WDS Bau), who won both races at Zandvoort in 2014 along with Kévin Estre (27, F, KÜS TEAM75 Bernhard). "When the wind whistles in from the North Sea, it can deposit a lot of sand on the track, making the tarmac very slippery, especially in first practice. You have to be very careful. When the wind changes direction, it can make lap times either one or two seconds faster or slower. It's just crazy."

The Zandvoort race weekend is a real home fixture for the Dutch drivers in the 2016 ADAC GT Masters line-up, so they are really looking forward to it, as you can imagine. "I contested no end of races there in my first years as a motor racing driver - five or six per year," said Christiaan Frankenhout (34, NL, MRS GT-Racing), who drives a Nissan GT-R. "I've not been back to Zandvoort much lately, so the track has once again become something special for me. I'm really looking forward to it and want to put on a good show for friends, family and sponsors." Frankenhout has another insider-tip for fans: "You can get a perfect view of both parts of the circuit from a small rise near Slotemakerbocht."

Fans wishing to experience the ADAC GT Masters live at the racetrack can purchase tickets for all fixtures for the price of 20 euros, which includes access to the paddock, from www.adac.de/motorsport.