Zandvoort has the smallest bag allowance on the European calendar — A4 size, 10cm thick. Most standard bags fail this. Umbrellas are also banned. Measure before race day.
A4 maximum — 21cm × 30cm, max 10cm thick
This is enforced with physical measuring boxes at every gate. Your bag must fit inside the box with the contents in it. Not next to it. Not almost. Inside.
For reference: an A4 sheet of paper is 21 × 29.7cm. Your bag must be no wider than that and no thicker than 10cm. A standard school backpack is typically 30–35L (roughly 45 × 30 × 20cm). It will not fit. A regular handbag often doesn't fit either.
No storage options. There are no bag lockers or drop-off points at the circuit. If your bag fails, you will need to return it to your hotel or the station luggage storage before you can enter.
Physical boxes are placed at every entry gate. Staff ask you to place your bag inside the box — fully, with the lid closed. If it doesn't fit with everything in it, you are turned away.
The 10cm thickness limit is where most people are caught out. A bag can look A4-sized in terms of height and width, but if you've packed it to 15cm thick, it won't fit.
Practical test: lay a sheet of A4 paper flat. Your bag should not be wider or taller than the paper. Then measure the depth — 10cm is roughly the width of two stacked smartphones.
Umbrellas are not permitted at the circuit gates — this is an entry restriction, not just a "no umbrellas inside" rule. If you arrive with an umbrella, it will be confiscated. You won't get it back.
The reason is practical: the North Sea wind at this circuit makes umbrellas a hazard to surrounding spectators in packed grandstands and pathways. A poncho is the only permitted rain protection. Pack one regardless of the forecast.
The bags that reliably pass: flat crossbody bags, small sling bags, and A4-sized slim backpacks (specifically marketed as A4 — not just bags that happen to be roughly that size).
If you need to buy something for this race: search for "A4 slim backpack" or "A4 document bag with strap". Check the listed dimensions against the 21×30×10cm limit before buying.
| Item | Status | Allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Bag maximum size | A4 — 21×30cm, 10cm thick | ✓ |
| Small sling / crossbody | If it fits the box | ✓ |
| Standard school bag (30L) | Does not fit — turned away | ✕ |
| Umbrella (any size) | Confiscated at gate | ✕ |
| Poncho | Permitted | ✓ |