Throwing snowballs, flying planes and getting lost in the desert – How F1 drivers have spent the winter break so far

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Formula 1 drivers have been enjoying a well-earned break over the winter after a busy 2024 season – but where have they gone and what have they been up to? F1.com provides a round-up with varied results…

Lando Norris

Following his most successful season in F1 to date, McLaren driver Norris has enjoyed a combination of sun and snow during the last couple of months, hopping into a dune buggy in the Dubai desert and hitting the ski slopes.

BARRETTO: Norris promised McLaren that 2025 would be his year, so is he ready to become World Champion?

Oscar Piastri

Piastri made a trip back home to Australia for Christmas and New Year, watching cricket where he grew up in Melbourne, taking in some special views and spending time with family and friends.

READ MORE: Piastri assesses his 2024 season as he pinpoints areas of improvement and times he ‘made life too difficult’

Charles Leclerc

While Piastri went home, Leclerc flew far away from Monaco with a family trip to Mexico, where plenty of golf was played. More recently, he kicked off a training camp in the Dolomite Mountains of northeastern Italy.

READ MORE: Leclerc lists areas where Sainz has helped him improve as he hails ‘incredible team mate’

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton was another driver to hit the slopes with a spot of snowboarding, but attention soon turned to the seven-time World Champion’s headline Ferrari move. In mid-January, the milestone moment arrived when he appeared in red and drove one of the Scuderia’s cars for the first time.

READ MORE: ‘One of the best feelings of my life’ – Hamilton reflects on ‘special’ first Ferrari drive

Max Verstappen

Reigning World Champion Verstappen could not be kept away from a race track himself as he got some extra winter laps in, but there was also time to switch off as he posed for an end-of-year photo with pregnant partner Kelly Piquet.

READ MORE: From high-profile flash points to record-breaking success – Verstappen's 10 seasons in F1 ranked

Liam Lawson

Lawson received a dream Christmas present from Red Bull with the news that he will step up to the senior team alongside Verstappen in 2025. The youngster celebrated back home in New Zealand, which included meeting the newest addition to the family: niece Poppy.

READ MORE: ‘My story is crazy’ – Lawson reveals how ‘one big overtake’ secured him Red Bull junior contract

George Russell

Russell sampled the snow in two very different ways with his first time skiing and an eventful drive on some frozen Swedish lakes. There was also a chance to spend a few days chilling out in his eponymous town on the Cayman Islands...

END OF YEAR REPORT: Mercedes – An inconsistent season and a bittersweet farewell for Hamilton

Kimi Antonelli

Russell’s new Mercedes team mate Antonelli combined time off with his loved ones and a slice of winter sun over Christmas, as the Italian teenager gears up to debut in the sport for the Silver Arrows.

READ MORE: Antonelli ready to deal with F1 pressure – but insists he doesn’t want to be seen as Hamilton’s ‘replacement’

Fernando Alonso

Like Verstappen, Alonso could not help but complete a few laps of a circuit over the winter, this time in a different kind of Aston Martin, and like Leclerc, the Spaniard started his pre-season preparations in the Dolomites.

READ MORE: From state-of-the-art facilities to Newey’s design genius – are Aston Martin on the brink of becoming F1’s next super team?

Lance Stroll

Stroll added to the list of F1 drivers in action on the slopes over the last couple of months, with the Canadian sharing a video of himself snowboarding through some picturesque mountains.

END OF YEAR REPORT: Aston Martin – A season below expectations but with key high-profile arrivals

Pierre Gasly

Gasly kept his fans updated throughout the winter break, posting a range of photos and videos that included time with his dog Simba, an unforgettable virtual flying experience and a new pre-season haircut.

END OF YEAR REPORT: Alpine – From a nightmare start to a promising finish amid numerous behind-the-scenes changes

Jack Doohan

Doohan followed fellow Australian Piastri home for the winter, which it’s worth pointing out is the summer Down Under. Fresh from watching tennis and getting some all-important training in, he returned to the UK and Alpine’s factory to celebrate his 22nd birthday.

READ MORE: Christmas gifts from Schumacher, Google Translate struggles and Raikkonen’s influence – Getting to know the real Jack Doohan

Esteban Ocon

Ocon stayed in the Middle East after the final two rounds of the 2024 season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, before getting into the Christmas spirit with his pet cat and then settling into his new surroundings at Haas.

READ MORE: Laura Mueller becomes F1’s first female Race Engineer as Haas confirm key personnel changes

Oliver Bearman

Having recharged the batteries after a whirlwind campaign, Bearman kicked off the New Year with a trip to Autosport International and, as touched on above, a pre-season test alongside new team mate Ocon.

READ MORE: Haas reveal when 2025 challenger will take to the track for the first time

Yuki Tsunoda

Having missed out on a Red Bull promotion to Lawson, Tsunoda travelled home to Japan and caught up with friends and family, while continuing the ‘White Christmas’ theme as he tried to stay warm in the snow.

ANALYSIS: Why Red Bull chose Lawson instead of Tsunoda as Perez’s replacement

Isack Hadjar

F2 runner-up Hadjar was the final driver to be confirmed on the 2025 grid, making that a good place to start on his social channels, with the Frenchman also posting a few photos of himself relaxing and training.

ANALYSIS: The key factor that saw ‘raw talent’ Hadjar handed his shot with RB – and what it means for ‘bridesmaid’ Tsunoda

Carlos Sainz

Sainz started the break with an emotional farewell to Ferrari, which included one last test run and his father also being given the chance to drive one of his F1 cars. Since then he’s been holidaying in the Maldives, training hard and jumping into his new life at Williams.

READ MORE: ‘He’ll be back’ – Norris insists Sainz’s ‘time will come again’ as Spaniard prepares for Williams journey

Alex Albon

Sainz and new team mate Albon are already showing signs of being in sync, thanks to both drivers choosing the Maldives as their winter holiday destination. Albon has also come up with an inspired nickname for the pair...

READ MORE: Williams confirm launch date for 2025 car as Sainz and Albon share excitement about new season

Nico Hulkenberg

Hulkenberg makes it three out of three on the Maldives front, as he took time off with his family to reflect on a successful final season at Haas and look forward to a new chapter at Kick Sauber/Audi.

HINCH’S HEROES: IndyCar star James Hinchcliffe picks the five drivers who impressed him most across the 2024 season

Gabriel Bortoleto

The other rookie on the 2025 grid, F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto enjoyed Christmas and the New Year with his family before – like Leclerc and Alonso (whose management company looks after the Brazilian) – picking up training in the Dolomites.

INSIGHT: Behind the scenes at Gabriel Bortoleto’s first F1 test with Kick Sauber

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