Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Auto

What do Formula 1 drivers do in the off-season?

One way to see how F1 drivers spend their free time is to follow their Instagram accounts

By
The first Gordon Ramsay F1 Garage in 2025 with be at the Miami Grand Prix.
Courtesy of F1

Many people consider F1 drivers lucky because they drive extremely fast cars, make a lot of money, and travel to elite locations worldwide. But how do they spend their time between seasons?

The answer has two parts. Drivers do have time off, but they also have mandatory F1-related post-season and pre-season obligations. This year, for example, there will be an unprecedented 2025 season kick-off event on February 18 at the O2 Arena in London. 

Recommended Videos

Mandatory F1 team events for drivers

Yas Marina Circuit for the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024.
2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Courtesy of Formula 1

The 2024 Formula 1 season ended with a final awards ceremony after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 8. The first race event of the 2025 FIA Formula 1 World Championship calendar is March 14-16 in Melbourne at the Australian Grand Prix.

Related

Between the 24th race of the 2024 season and the first 2025 Grand Prix, F1 drivers and teams attended an awards ceremony. Then, they spent time on the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi, testing tires for Pirelli, the official F1 tire supplier for all teams.

Even the smallest Formula 1 teams have hundreds of engineers, designers, developers, mechanics, and other personnel working to develop cars for the next season. Car development never totally stops, but teams launch new cars each year, so the time between seasons is especially busy.

Drivers can spend a limited amount of time with previous season race cars but cannot drive the new cars between the official Pre-Season Testing event, which takes place in Bahrain from February 26 to 28 this year. However, drivers spend many hours in simulators to practice their skills, experience new car features virtually, and provide feedback to the development teams.

When 2024’s top drivers got to choose

Lewis Hamilton driving a Ferrari F1 car for the first time.
Lewis Hamilton driving a Ferrari F1 car for the first time Courtesy of Formula 1

One way to see how F1 drivers spend their free time is to follow their Instagram accounts. Here’s a sampling of what the top seven drivers have been up to since December.

  • Max Verstappen, Red Bull: Four-time World Champion Max has posted photos with pregnant partner Kelly Piquet. He also frequently appears in Red Bull’s Instagram posts driving other types of fast cars and vehicles.
  • Lando Norris, McLaren: Lando keeps busy with various activities, such as skiing, driving dune buggies in the Dubai desert, and hanging with friends.
  • Charles Leclerc, Ferrari: Charles lives in Monaco and has posted shots of playing golf in Mexico and skiing in Italy.
  • Oscar Piastri, McLaren: At home in Australia, Oscar has posted photos of himself attending cricket matches in Melbourne and enjoying family and friends.
  • Carlos Sainz, Ferrari: Carlos, who left Ferrari to drive for Williams this season, has been vacationing and training in the Maldives.
  • George Russell, Mercedes: George posted that he went asking for the first time in Sweden and spent time in the Cayman Islands.
  • Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes: The seven-time World Champion shocked the world with last year’s pre-season announcement that he would leave Mercedes to drive for Ferarri in 2025. In the past two weeks, Lewis has been the center of attention when he drove Ferrari F1 cars for the first and second times.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown
A Digital Trends Contributing Editor and Contributor for TheManual.com, Bruce Brown writes e-mobility reviews and covers…
How to watch the F1 season launch event from the O2 Arena
F1 75 Live at the O2 Arena in London will showcase Formula 1's ten team principals and 20 drivers.
Promo for 2025 Season opener at the O2 Arena in London.

The first Grand Prix on the 2025 F1 schedule isn't until March 14 to 16 in Melbourne, Australia. This year, however, there's an unprecedented launch event on February 18. In celebration of F1's 75 years, the F1 75 Live at the O2 Arena in London will showcase Formula 1's ten team principals and 20 drivers.

This will be the first public showing of the new car and driver liveries for all teams. The event will also include appearances by multiple world-class entertainers,  and F1 TV commentators Laura Winter, Ariana Bravo, and Lawrence Barretto. Comedian and actor Jack Whitehall will host the celebration.

Read more
Record-setting Formula E viewer numbers at Mexico City E-Prix race
The FIA had no idea that the series viewership would enjoy a massive boost.
Formula E race cars on the track at Sao Paulo E-Prix.

When Formula E racing added Pit Boost in-race charging for the 2025 season calendar,  the FIA rules-making organization likely had no idea that the series viewership would also enjoy a massive boost in its eleventh season. The fastest-growing motorsport set new records at the first two 2025 Season 11 E-Prix in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Mexico City, Mexico.
What records did Formula E break?

Forty million people watched the first race in Sao Paulo, the most extensive opening-round race viewership in Formula E's eleven years. In the UK, thanks in part to a new free-to-air broadcast deal with ITV, the race's British audience grew by 120% from the 2024 race in Sao Paulo. The same race also set a record as Brazil's second-largest number of viewers for any race in Formula E's entire history.

Read more
This Ferrari Daytona SP3 signed by two F1 champs may be the fastest way to ever spend $6 million
F1 champions autograph ultra rare Ferrari Daytona SP3
Ferrari SP3

As if owning an ultra-rare Ferrari isn't an extraordinary enough accomplishment, sometimes one comes along that ratchets things up to hyper-exclusivity. This mesmerizing Daytona SP3, which has less than 400 miles, is now available for purchase at the renowned F1rst Motors in Dubai.

This automotive marvel is one of just 599 examples ever crafted, boasting a unique and striking ‘BP Green’ finish that captures the light and exudes sophistication at every angle. When you lift the engine cover, you’re greeted with a breathtaking sight: the signatures of F1 champions Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, elegantly etched in gold atop its impressive 828bhp, 6.5-litre V12 engine. This powerhouse, while slightly outpaced by its Le Mans-spec F80 counterpart in sheer power, delivers astonishing performance. The SP3 accelerates from 0 to 62mph (100 km/hr) in a mere 2.8 seconds and reaches a blistering top speed of 211mph.

Read more