Half of winter break is over: what have the drivers been up to during the holidays?
Today at 02:12 AM
Some are already back to work, while others continue to enjoy their time off—here's where the F1 drivers have been and what they have been up to in recent weeks.
Some can't stay away from the track, while others…
Lando Norris officially ended his season a week late, as he attended the FIA Gala with his team. The McLaren driver then had fun in the snowy mountains and under the Dubai sun. His 2025 started on a sour note due to an accident involving his F40 in Monaco (the person behind the wheel has not been identified).
Oscar Piastri decided to enjoy the Australian sun during the holidays. In addition to exploring his home country, he attended some live sporting events.
Like him, fellow Australian Jack Doohan also returned to his homeland. His holidays have been far from peaceful, as his seat has been under scrutiny even before the season began.
Alpine's other driver, Pierre Gasly, took time to relax after the season ended. He shared photos and videos with his now-famous dog, Simba. Thanks to Qatar Airways, he had the chance to “pilot” a plane in the airline's simulator. Sporting a new look, the Frenchman recently returned to Alpine's headquarters to begin preparations for 2025.
Moving on to Ferrari's drivers, Charles Leclerc headed to Mexico after the championship ended. He spent several days there with his family and his beloved dog, Leo. As he does every year, he has now started his training program in the Dolomites and has already made his first appearance at Maranello this year for the January 22 test session.
As Lewis Hamilton announced at the end of 2024, his break was quite short. He spent a few days snowboarding in the mountains before heading to Maranello to meet the team and the fans who welcomed him.
Kimi Antonelli spent Christmas with his family after completing the post-season tests in Abu Dhabi with Mercedes. He then spent a few days in London before returning to Italy, where he couldn't stay away from the track—he took part in tests with the AKM karting team. During the winter break, he obtained his driver’s license and immediately started training with Mercedes in preparation for his debut.
It was a holiday of firsts for George Russell, who went skiing for the first time. A few days later, he stayed in the snow but swapped skis for a driving adventure with Mercedes cars. His latest photos show him in a town in the Cayman Islands that shares his name.
Future Red Bull driver Liam Lawson returned to New Zealand for the break, where he engaged in various activities and celebrated the arrival of his niece, Poppy. He has recently resumed work to prepare for the 2025 season.
Little is known about Red Bull's other driver, Max Verstappen, who spent his break with Kelly Piquet. However, he couldn't stay away from the track and returned to racing in a GT car.
Similarly, Fernando Alonso couldn't fully disconnect from racing, as a recent post showed him on track with an Aston Martin. Like Leclerc, the Spaniard has also begun a training program in the Dolomites.
Lance Stroll has been enjoying his holidays in the snow, splitting his time between skiing and driving cars on icy terrain.
The drivers' winter break
After the season ended, Esteban Ocon stayed in Abu Dhabi for post-season tests with Haas before returning home for the holidays. He is now already preparing for the new season with Haas.
His teammate, Oliver Bearman, split his break between sunny and snowy locations, reconnecting with some Prema drivers like Beganovic.
Yuki Tsunoda returned to Japan for the holidays, spending time with family and friends after the disappointment of Lawson securing a Red Bull seat. Little is known about his teammate, Isack Hadjar, who hasn't shared much about his break on social media.
Carlos Sainz immediately started focusing on Williams from the Abu Dhabi tests. His official farewell to Ferrari came a few days later when he visited Fiorano. He then spent some time skiing with friends before heading to the Maldives. He has now started working with his new team.
His new teammate, Alex Albon, made the same choice, traveling to the Maldives with his girlfriend at the end of 2024.
Nico Hülkenberg joined them, also heading to the Maldives to spend time with his family while keeping an eye on the upcoming season.
Finally, rookie Gabriel Bortoleto returned to Brazil to visit his family. The Sauber driver then began training in the Dolomites and has already hit the track for F1 testing.
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