F1 drivers are clearly passionate about all things racing, but there’s more to these incredible drivers than prepping for the next event. From Lewis Hamilton to Valtteri Bottas, let’s explore the passions F1 drivers have outside of the pit.
Lewis Hamilton
British racing driver Lewis Hamilton took the F1 world by storm when he won the Canadian Grand Prix for McLaren back in 2007. Since then, he’s gone on to win an impressive 103 Grand Prix races and has seven World Championship titles (a record tied with Michael Schumacher).
When this F1 legend isn’t behind the wheel, you will find him engaging in physical activities including running, surging, and bike riding. As well as this, Hamilton has a thirst for adrenaline, which is obvious when his perfect idea for a race-free Sunday is skydiving – ten times in one day.
Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen burst onto the F1 scene back in 2014 and has quickly become one of the most interesting drivers. So far, he’s only raced for Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso, which are both in partnership with each other anyway. When it comes to World Championships, the Dutch driver saw double in 2021 and 2022 – he’s also the bookies’ favorite to win in 2023.
When Verstappen isn’t taking the track by storm, he’s got an avid passion for road cycling and general physical fitness, which goes with the territory. To show off this passion, Verstappen has shot a few videos for Red Bull.
Fernando Alonso
Spanish F1 driver Fernando Alonso has been a fixture of the F1 world since 2001. He spent his first year under Minardi, but quickly pivoted to Renault, where his career really took off. By 2006, Alonso had his first World Championship title in the bag. Since then, he’s driven for Ferrari, McLaren, and Alpine, and is now donning the Aston Martin banner.
When Alonso isn’t focusing on his next big win, he has a real passion for sports including tennis, basketball, and football. As well as this, Alonso has been seen playing poker inside casinos, so he most likely dabbles in real money games online.
Lance Stroll
Lance Stroll’s winning streak started when he was just ten years old, back in his days of regional and national karting. Taking this into consideration, there are zero surprises that he made history as the second youngest driver to start a race and secure a podium finish. Currently, this Canadian F1 driver is racing for Aston Martin and is sixth on the leaderboard, just below Hamilton.
Being a proud Canadian, Lance Stroll has a strong passion for his country and enjoys skiing in the mountains. As well as this, he told Gentleman’s Journal that he tends to spend his summer evenings by the lake.
George Russell
George Russell lives by the motto “If in doubt, go flat out”, which is certainly reflected in his thriving F1 career. In his rookie years, Russel was out-qualifying veteran driver Robert Kubica at all Grand Prix. Currently, Russell is tearing up the track with Mercedes and has overtaken Hamilton as their number-one driver, according to a fan poll.
There’s no surprise that Russell’s hobbies reflect his passion for driving, as he’s recently invested heavily in driving simulation. However, when stepping away from the racing world, Russell has been known to go cycling with his friends.
The drivers mentioned above are all household names in the F1 world, but there’s much more to them than racing. Naturally, many of their passions are to do with energetic activities, but great fitness is one of the essentials when it comes to F1 success.
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