The chequered flag dropped at the Hungarian Grand Prix on 26 July 2026, and with it, Formula 1’s most anticipated tradition began, the three-week summer break. Racing resumes at the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort from 21–23 August, giving drivers, teams and fans a rare moment to breathe. Here is what the grid is getting up to while the engines cool down.
Lando Norris: Flying into the break on a high
The reigning World Champion could not have timed his holiday better. Norris claimed a dramatic victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix, his first win of the 2026 season, beating Verstappen into second and Antonelli into third in a race that also saw teammate Oscar Piastri retire with a cruel gearbox failure on lap 56. Norris heads into three weeks off with momentum firmly restored. Where he is spending his holiday remains a closely guarded secret, but the smile on his face at Zandvoort will be hard to wipe off.
Max Verstappen: Beach days, roller skates and birthday cake
The Red Bull man wasted no time. Just 24 hours after Hungary, Verstappen was at the beach with partner Kelly Piquet and her daughter Penelope, who celebrated her seventh birthday on 27 July.
Kelly shared footage of Max helping Penelope with her roller-skating, a far cry from the high-stakes paddock drama of recent weeks. For all the contract noise, this is the Verstappen the family knows.
Carlos Sainz : A 30 year family tradition and a big decision looming
If you are looking for Carlos Sainz this August, try the Balearic Islands. The Williams driver revealed on 28 July that he is heading to his parents’ home in Mallorca, a 30-year family tradition, before sailing between Ibiza and Menorca to visit friends and completing a training camp ahead of Zandvoort. The holiday, however, comes with a backdrop of serious reflection. After a difficult Hungarian GP, Sainz confirmed the summer break is when he will calmly evaluate his future at Williams, a decision the paddock is watching closely.
Kimi Antonelli: Too restless to rest
Even before leaving Budapest, the championship leader admitted he would struggle to switch off. In a characteristically candid pre-race press conference, the 19-year-old Mercedes star confessed: “After three or four days I’m going to be busting my balls, I’m gonna be bored.” Luckily, his holiday destination happens to have a go-kart track nearby.
Fernando Alonso: Retirement decision on the horizon?
Perhaps the most dramatic subplot of the entire summer break: Sky Sports’ Ted Kravitz is predicting that the 45-year-old Fernando Alonso will use these three weeks to decide whether to retire from Formula 1. The two-time world champion’s future has been the subject of intense speculation. A decision before Zandvoort would send shockwaves through the entire driver market, which is already sitting on a powder keg with 17 contracts expiring at season’s end.
George Russell: Desperately needed downtime
After a rollercoaster season capped by his Belgian GP retirement following the Hamilton collision and further frustrations in Hungary, Russell said it best himself: “It couldn’t have come at a better time.” The Mercedes driver has promised to forget about racing entirely during the break and return fully reset for what promises to be a ferocious title fight over the second half of the season.
The Business of rest
While the drivers recharge, the teams observe a mandatory 14-day FIA factory shutdown, no wind tunnel testing, no CFD work, no car development of any kind. Behind the scenes, however, Pirelli conducted a two-day tyre test in Budapest on 28–29 July, involving Aston Martin, Audi and Alpine. And Honda confirmed a significant engine upgrade alongside a B-spec Aston Martin package set to debut at the Dutch GP. The summer break is never truly quiet.
