Back from vacation for the F1 drivers, how have they been keeping busy?

After the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, Formula 1 began a three-week summer break before resuming at Zandvoort. During this period, the teams’ facilities were completely closed, imposing a real break for all team members. Some used this time to continue training, while others preferred to escape from the very first days. However, despite this official break, not all drivers have completely set aside their commitment to the competition. While some preferred the sun, others made some appearances at public events.

The Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu took advantage of this break to return to his home country, China, where he spent two weeks in Shanghai. He shared much of his time with his family and friends, explaining how much he missed being able to return home during the season. He spent part of his time playing video games and enjoying the company of his cats, which he shared a lot on his social networks. Despite this break, the driver did not completely stop his professional activities. He notably attended events for the brand Lululemon, for which he is an ambassador, as well as Mobil 1.

Always in search of adventures, the seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton traveled around the world during this summer break. He started his world tour in Turkey, where he enjoyed a boat trip, before heading to France to attend the Olympic Games and support his friends competing as athletes. He then headed to Mozambique, where he met with refugees at the Maratane camp and enjoyed a few days of vacation there, including a helicopter ride. His travels took him to Senegal, Benin, Madagascar, and Morocco, where he spent time with several of his friends under the African sun.

On his part, Yuki Tsunoda, like Zhou Guanyu, chose to return to his home country, Japan. He hadn’t visited the country in the summer for six years and preferred to reunite with his friends for summer activities he hadn’t been able to do for a long time. Before heading back to Italy to resume his training, Yuki spent time with his parents, even though he prioritized his friends. He explained that he often has the opportunity to meet them since his family frequently attends Formula 1 races.

Logan Sargeant, the young American driver, spent his holidays in the south of France. He was able to enjoy the sun in Cannes and Saint-Tropez in the company of his group of friends, exploring the French coasts by boat. Although he would have liked to return to the United States to see his parents, he preferred to enjoy the sunshine with people he doesn’t often have the opportunity to see.

Carlos Sainz opted for a less touristy destination to start his holidays. He made a trip to Scotland at the beginning of the month, where he was seen several times with his golf club in hand. After a few weeks away from home, he then returned to Spain, his home country, where he explored the island of Majorca and the beach. It seems he spent a lot of time by the sea.

Sergio Pérez, like several other drivers, preferred simplicity by returning home to Mexico to visit his parents and siblings. Although he is originally from the country, he has little opportunity to be there due to the numerous Formula 1 races throughout the year. While the driver did not communicate much about his activities, he took advantage of the summer break to spend time with his wife and children.

As for Alexander Albon, a driver at Williams, he preferred to reunite with the warmth of his cats rather than his parents. He spent the summer in the Swiss Alps, where he enjoyed the tranquility to paddle and take a road trip off the mountains. Obviously, he took the opportunity to do some hiking along the high mountains.

If the three-time reigning world champion tends to be the center of media attention, this summer, Max Verstappen has been more discreet. The Dutchman began his break by staying at home in Monaco, where he did several live videos on Twitch. He then joined his family, including his sister and nephews, before heading to Portugal with Kelly Piquet. There, he indulged in padel and walks along the beach.

The McLaren driver duo **Lando Norris** and **Oscar Piastri** are among those who did not immediately disconnect from work. To start the summer, they first attended meetings at the McLaren factory before going their separate ways. **Lando Norris** spent most of his vacation at his home in Monaco, where he alternated between golf, running, and outings with friends. He still took a little trip to Ibiza with Olympic champion Keegan Palmer. On his side, **Oscar Piastri** took a trip to France with his friends, indulging in padel and spending his time visiting French cities.

The Mercedes duo was very active during the summer break. While Lewis Hamilton toured the entire African continent, George Russell visited two Western European countries. After a stop in Majorca with his partner and family at the beginning of August, where he particularly enjoyed surfing and swimming, he returned to England where he attended Taylor Swift’s concert in London with his niece. His pink frilly hat was particularly highlighted in Thursday’s press conference.

The Monegasque Charles Leclerc took advantage of the break to travel. While he spent most of his time enjoying the sea and sand in Monaco, he visited Cala Galdana in Spain and Ibiza where he was seen enjoying Spanish evenings. He spent time with his family before visiting the Ferrari factory in Maranello.

Holidays have been very different for Alpine drivers. If Esteban Ocon is one of those who did not immediately leave work, that did not prevent him from traveling. Before leaving, he participated in Pirelli tire tests in Spa-Francorchamps and then went to Spain, where he enjoyed the sea and sun in Ibiza. He also attended several events, including a wedding and the French YouTuber La Boiserie’s car show. Pierre Gasly, on the other hand, chose Portugal as his holiday destination. He spent his vacation in Porto, where he spent time with his girlfriend’s family. The Frenchman was particularly active in sports during the break. He practiced several activities such as karting, jet skiing, golf, and hiking.

On the other hand, at Haas, the duo Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen had the same goal: to take the opportunity to spend time with their children. While Kevin Magnussen returned to Copenhagen, Nico Hülkenberg preferred to spend time in southern Germany, where he is from.

If several drivers have preferred holiday destinations, just like the drivers of the American team, Valtteri Bottas returned home to Finland. He spent much of his vacation biking in the mountains while also taking a trip to Norway. He finished his journey in Montenegro, where he continued to improve his biking skills.

Some drivers were more discreet about their vacations this summer. If Fernando Alonso spent his time in Monaco, where he was seen trying out different restaurants and participating in some karting races, Lance Stroll , on the other hand, completely disappeared from the radar. According to the few images shared on social networks by his acquaintances, he seems to have stayed in his home country Canada. Daniel Ricciardo , who was not very talkative about what he did this summer, still treated himself to a trip to Portugal, more precisely to Lisbon.