With an exciting weekend of racing in Baku waiting just around the corner, the drivers enjoyed a rare pause before heading to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. After a busy run of races post-summer break, the past week gave them a brief chance to reset \u2013 though in true paddock fashion, there was no shortage of action away from the track.<\/p>\n
From birthday bashes to football matches, and even some two-wheel action, the drivers found their own ways to unwind and charge their batteries. Some swapped helmets for costumes, others headed to events or laced up running shoes \u2013 and some unsurprisingly couldn\u2019t resist more time behind the wheel…<\/p>\n
Max Verstappen at the Nurburgring<\/p>\n
Fresh from his Italian Grand Prix victory, Max Verstappen<\/a> didn\u2019t exactly switch off during the break. Instead, he took to the legendary Nurburgring<\/a>, where he earned a Permit A \u2013 allowing him to race faster GT3 machinery in future.<\/p>\n Verstappen has already built a strong reputation in the world of sim racing, regularly competing in endurance events online. Now, with his new licence, he\u2019s a step closer to taking on the same challenges behind the wheel of a GT3 car. For a driver who never seems to stop racing, it feels like a natural addition to his successes.<\/p>\n Off-track sporting adventures<\/p>\n Pierre Gasly<\/a> swapped steering wheels for rackets as he attended the Alpine Paris Major Premier Padel tournament \u2013 but he wasn\u2019t just there to watch. Alongside getting stuck into the competition, he also had the honour of handing out trophies to the winners.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda<\/a> headed to San Siro to catch AC Milan in action, and also linked up with footballing legend Luka Modric.<\/p>\n Swapping four-wheels for two<\/p>\n Lando Norris<\/a> and Kimi Antonelli<\/a> headed to San Marino to swap four wheels for two at MotoGP. The highlight? Lando meeting his childhood hero Valentino Rossi \u2013 an encounter he summed up on Instagram: \u201cWhoever said don\u2019t meet your heroes deffo never met Vale.\u201d<\/p>\n Antonelli also caught up with Rossi, with the pair sharing a warm moment as fellow countrymen \u2013 a meeting of motorsport generations that fans loved to see.<\/p>\n Turning 29 in the sky<\/p>\n There was hardly time for a sit-down party to celebrate his birthday \u2013 so instead Esteban Ocon<\/a> marked his birthday en route to Baku. The celebrations kicked off mid-journey with Lando Norris, Jack Doohan, Ollie Bearman<\/a>, and Nico Hulkenberg<\/a> all joining in. Candles, cake, and cabin pressure: an unconventional but memorable way to celebrate. Happy birthday Esteban!<\/p>\n Never too far from a race suit<\/p>\n