Power, Precision, and Presence: Klaas Zwart’s F1 Machine Shakes TT Assen at TABAC Classic GP
Klaas Zwart brought Formula 1 thunder to the TT Circuit Assen. While the event celebrated motorsport’s golden eras, Zwart’s appearance reminded everyone that raw performance still has a place on tracks rich with history.
Zwart, a Dutch racing driver and entrepreneur, is known for his love of serious horsepower—and he delivered just that. Piloting his ex-F1 car, a Jaguar R5 (once campaigned by Mark Webber in the 2004 Formula 1 season), Zwart didn’t just show up—he stole the show.
With its Cosworth V10 engine screaming down the straights, the R5 instantly transported fans from the nostalgia of the paddock to the visceral thrill of F1’s V10 era. Its speed, sound, and sheer aggression stood in sharp contrast to the polished chrome of the classics, yet somehow felt perfectly at home among them. It wasn’t just a display run—it was a masterclass in what an F1 car can do in the hands of someone who knows exactly how to tame it.
Zwart’s deep connection to motorsport and his experience behind the wheel were evident in every lap. Unlike static museum pieces, his F1 car was alive—accelerating hard, braking late, and carving through Assen’s iconic corners with surgical precision. It wasn’t just a spectacle; it was a statement: Formula 1 performance is timeless.
Crowds along the grandstands leaned in closer. Phones came out. And when the V10 echoed off the grandstand roofs, there was a shared moment of awe—a rare intersection of modern F1 power and the historic spirit of TT Assen.
Beyond the Grid – The Experience
This wasn’t just an event—it was an immersion.
Fans wandered the Gridwalk, brushing shoulders with historic machines and suited drivers. Children climbed into cockpit simulators; older fans swapped stories over coffee. The Senna Tribute became a meeting point—an altar, almost—for fans of the man who changed racing.
And the MP Motorsport two-seater rides offered one of the closest ways to live the rush of racing without being behind the wheel.
Under the tents, memorabilia was exchanged like sacred relics. Old helmets. Oil-stained gloves. Books with dog-eared pages and autographs long faded.
And everywhere, the sound. That mechanical symphony. Unrefined. Pure. Human.
Final Thoughts – Not Just a Race
The TABAC Classic GP at TT Assen 2025 wasn’t just a throwback—it was a tribute to the unrelenting spirit of motorsport.
It reminded us why we gather around asphalt and engine. Why we still speak of legends gone too soon. Why even in a world of hybrids and silence, we still crave the roar of an engine that defies time.
For one weekend, Assen was not a circuit—it was a cathedral.
And we, its devoted congregation.
