Following an intense first half of the season, consisting of 13 races spread across 20 weeks, Formula 1 entered a much-needed break in early August. Although this hiatus meant fans had to go an entire month without any track action, plenty of things happened in the meantime.
Now that the wait is over, with F1 cars getting their engines roaring and hitting the track again at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort and this coming weekend the Italian Grand prix at Monza, it might be a good idea to take a look back at the events that marked this short period away from the paddocks and find out what’s behind the F1 summer break.
What’s the deal with F1 summer break?
The Formula 1 annual summer break refers to the period running from the last race that takes place in July and the first race that is scheduled to happen in late August or early September. This year, the race that marked the end of the first half of the season was the Hungarian Grand Prix (29-31 July), and the race that kicked off the start of the second half of the season is the Belgian Grand Prix (26-28 August).
Obviously, this is not just some time off that teams and drivers can take on a whim; it’s an official requirement laid down in the FIA F1 sporting regulations under Article 21.8 which mentions all teams have to undergo a “closing period of fourteen consecutive days during the months of July and/or August.” Failure to comply with these regulations can attract a series of penalties for F1 teams.
So, what can teams do during this 14-day break?
The rules are pretty clear and straightforward in this respect. All teams have to shut down their factories and only perform basic operations that have to do with service and maintenance tasks. They cannot work on design and car parts production, or hold meetings to work on their plans and strategies. Restrictions also cover using wind tunnels or testing components. However, it is permitted to fix damaged cars, after obtaining consent from FIA, and activities that are not directly related to the performance of the F1 teams and cars are also allowed – this mainly concerns operations in the marketing, finance, and legal department.
Each team has the freedom to decide their own break schedule, meaning they don’t have to start or finish their 14-day holiday at the same time. That’s why some teams take their breaks earlier than others, depending on how they’ve organized their calendars.
Formula 1 drivers also take advantage of this short period to leave the hustle and bustle of F1 life behind and enjoy some much-needed time away from the tracks, but only after they’ve had their final meeting with their team following the last race and taken care of their media and marketing arrangements.
And yet, there’s still a question pending: why does Formula 1 need a summer break? There are multiple reasons for introducing this hiatus in the middle of the F1 season. For starters, the F1 calendar stretched over the years, reaching a staggering 22 races scheduled for the 2022 season. It was initially planned to include 23 races, but it was reduced to 22 when the Russian Grand Prix was cancelled.
This means this year’s Formula 1 season is the longest ever and implicitly a lot more demanding for teams and drivers than it was in past years. It was therefore necessary to include some time off in the schedule, and that’s exactly what the summer break offers.
The holiday also serves as a way to keep costs within a certain limit, as all teams are required to stop all activities related to development, production, planning, or research. The measure was implemented prior to the budget cap that aims to level the playing field and reduce spending during the season.
And finally, the summer break gives drivers and the F1 staff the chance to relax and focus on their personal lives after months of intense work. It’s a well-known fact that overexertion and fatigue can lead to a series of terrible consequences, and not only on the F1 track. For non-professional drivers, fatigue is a major cause of road crashes.
That’s one of the reasons why road accidents in the UK are on the rise. So, it’s no surprise that a demanding sport like F1 racing places a special focus on giving drivers the time they need to rest and recover.
What have the drivers been up to?
Speaking of drivers and their time away from the Formula 1 spotlight, let’s take a look at what they’ve been doing during their summer holiday.
For Lewis Hamilton, the summer break was all about tracing his roots through Africa and reconnecting with his ancestors. His spiritual journey took the seven-time F1 world champion from Namibia to Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania, where he had the chance to fully immerse himself in the local culture and experience the South African lifestyle. As he notes in one of his Instagram posts, the time he spent on the African continent has been truly transformational, so fans are obviously eager to see how that translates on the racing track.
Max Verstappen, after securing 8 wins in the first half of the season, decided to spend his summer holiday with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet and her daughter Penelope. But he’s keeping his eyes on the prize as he recently went back to training to get ready for the second half of the season, and maybe add a second world championship title to his name.
Carlos Sainz who took his first Formula 1 win at Silverstone earlier this season, took advantage of this short break to spend some quality time with his friends and family back in Spain. He kept himself busy playing golf, surfing, and training.
Now that everyone has had their fair share of relaxation, it’s time to jump back into action and get ready for some speed-fuelled adrenaline.
