For Formula 1 drivers, retirement does not necessarily mean leaving the sport behind. Plenty swap the cockpit for the commentary box, while others become team bosses, ambassadors or driver managers \u2013 keeping one foot firmly planted in the paddock.<\/p>\n
But for some, life away from F1 has taken a rather different turn. Across the decades, former drivers have traded racing cars for everything from fishing trawlers and farms to DJ decks and even political office.<\/p>\n
Here are 10 F1 drivers whose careers away from the track took them somewhere rather unexpected…<\/p>\n
Niki Lauda \u2013 Airline entrepreneur<\/p>\n
There aren’t many things Niki Lauda<\/a> didn’t accomplish in Formula 1. The Austrian won three World Championships across two spells in the sport, famously battled James Hunt<\/a> for the 1976 World Championship and eventually returned to the paddock in senior roles with Ferrari<\/a>, Jaguar and Mercedes<\/a>.<\/p>\n But even while his driving career was still unfolding, Lauda had another fascination entirely \u2013 aviation. He established Lauda Air in 1979, the same year he first stepped away from F1, and began building what would eventually become an international airline operating long-haul services around the world. After returning to Formula 1 with McLaren<\/a> in 1982 and claiming a third World Championship, he retired for good three years later and turned his attention to aviation full-time, later expanding his involvement with ventures such as Niki and Laudamotion.<\/p>\n Being a three-time World Champion and playing a major role in Mercedes’ future dominance would probably constitute enough careers for most people. But Lauda somehow found time to become a successful airline entrepreneur as well.<\/p>\n Paolo Barilla \u2013 Pasta executive<\/p>\n Paolo Barilla’s time in Formula 1 was relatively brief. The Italian made his debut for Minardi at the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix and went on to enter 15 Grands Prix across two seasons, starting nine of them and recording a best finish of 11th. His racing CV extended well beyond F1, however \u2013 most notably including an outright victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1985.<\/p>\n By 1991, Barilla was ready for something different. Fortunately, there was a rather famous family business waiting for him.<\/p>\n He joined Barilla France before being appointed Deputy Chairman of the Barilla Group in 1994, a position he continues to hold. More than three decades after leaving the F1 grid, his two careers even collided when Barilla became an official Formula 1 partner in 2025.<\/p>\n Speaking at the announcement, Barilla said: \u201cA lightning-fast F1 car and a delicious plate of pasta: what do they have in common? At first, it may not be obvious, but behind both, and the effort that goes into making them, are skilled professionals, passionate and determined, driven by the desire to keep improving.\u201d<\/p>\n Perhaps racing cars and pasta have more in common than first meets the eye…<\/p>\n Carlos Reutemann \u2013 Politician<\/p>\n Carlos Reutemann came agonisingly close to becoming an F1 World Champion, losing the 1981 title to Nelson Piquet by a single point after arriving at the season finale in Las Vegas at the top of the standings.<\/p>\n By the time he stepped away from F1 in 1982, the Argentine had accumulated 12 Grand Prix victories and established himself as one of his country’s greatest drivers behind five-time champion Juan Manuel Fangio. After briefly returning to rallying, Reutemann then entered an arena that could arguably be every bit as competitive as Formula 1 \u2013 politics.<\/p>\n In 1991, he was elected governor of his home province of Santa Fe, serving until 1995 before returning for a second term between 1999 and 2003. He then moved into Argentina’s National Senate, winning re-election in both 2009 and 2015 and remaining a senator until his death in 2021.<\/p>\n Reutemann’s political profile grew so significantly that he was considered a serious potential candidate for the Argentine presidency \u2013 but declined to run in 2002. From fighting for the F1 title to potentially fighting for the country’s highest office, his competitive career certainly didn’t end at the chequered flag.<\/p>\n Alex Ribeiro \u2013 Sports chaplain<\/p>\n Anyone familiar with Alex Ribeiro’s racing cars might not be too surprised by the direction his life eventually took.<\/p>\n The Brazilian competed in F1 during the 1970s for Hesketh, March and Copersucar-Fittipaldi, but became just as recognisable for the enormous ‘Jesus Saves’ message carried on his F2 racing machinery. His Christian faith was an important part of his identity throughout his career and became an even bigger part of his life after leaving F1.<\/p>\n Ribeiro became heavily involved with the organisation Atletas de Cristo \u2013 Athletes of Christ \u2013 supporting sportspeople across Brazil and serving as its executive director. His work took him far beyond motorsport, with Ribeiro acting as a chaplain to Christian members of the Brazilian national football team across several World Cups, including the victorious 1994 campaign in the United States.<\/p>\n Remarkably, his second career even brought him back into the F1 paddock. Ribeiro later drove the sport’s Medical Car while also carrying out chaplaincy work \u2013 meaning that even decades after his Grand Prix career ended, he found a very different way to continue helping athletes at the highest level.<\/p>\n Jaime Alguersuari \u2013 DJ and producer<\/p>\n When Jaime Alguersuari made his F1 debut for Toro Rosso at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix, the 19-year-old became the youngest driver the sport had ever seen at that point.<\/p>\n But just a few years later, his life looked completely different. After losing his Toro Rosso seat at the end of 2011, Alguersuari continued competing in categories including Formula E and GT racing. However, his passion for motorsport gradually disappeared and, still only in his mid-20s, the Spaniard decided to walk away from racing entirely.<\/p>\n Fortunately, another passion had been developing alongside it. Alguersuari had been producing electronic music even during his F1 career and eventually turned his attention to it full-time under the name Squire, a nod to his second surname, Escudero. He has since released music and performed internationally as a DJ and producer.<\/p>\n Plenty of drivers have talked about needing to find a new rhythm after leaving Formula 1. Alguersuari took that rather more literally.<\/p>\n Jody Scheckter \u2013 Farmer<\/p>\n Jody Scheckter’s F1 career ended with one of the ultimate achievements already secured. The South African won the 1979 World Championship with Ferrari before retiring from the sport after one final season with the Scuderia in 1980.<\/p>\n His first move away from racing was already somewhat unconventional. Scheckter built a successful firearms training technology business in the United States \u2013 but even that would eventually give way to another dramatic change of direction\u2026farming.<\/p>\n Scheckter established Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire, developing thousands of acres around natural and biodynamic farming principles. The operation became home to sheep, cattle and a particularly sizeable population of water buffalo, whose milk was used to make mozzarella. The farm also produced everything from meat and ice cream to sparkling wine.<\/p>\n Jacques Villeneuve \u2013 Singer-songwriter<\/p>\n Jacques Villeneuve achieved more than most racing drivers could dream of before turning 27. He won the Indianapolis 500 and CART title in 1995, arrived in Formula 1 the following year and became World Champion with Williams<\/a> in just his second season.<\/p>\n But Villeneuve had another creative interest bubbling away in the background. He had been writing lyrics and playing guitar for years, and after his final F1 appearance in 2006 he was finally able to give music rather more attention.<\/p>\n The result was Private Paradise, a 13-track acoustic album released in 2007 featuring songs in both French and English. Villeneuve wrote six of the tracks himself, including Father, which paid tribute to his late father and Ferrari legend Gilles Villeneuve.<\/p>\n It would be fair to say that Villeneuve’s musical career never quite reached the heights of his racing one \u2013 Private Paradise did not exactly trouble the upper reaches of the charts. But how many F1 World Champions can say they followed up a title-winning racing career by releasing a bilingual acoustic-rock album?<\/p>\n Alex Zanardi \u2013 Paralympic champion<\/p>\n Alex Zanardi’s journey after Formula 1 is unlike any other on this list.<\/p>\n The Italian raced in F1 across the 1990s, but enjoyed his greatest success in America, becoming a two-time CART champion in 1997 and 1998. In 2001, during a CART race at the Lausitzring in Germany, Zanardi suffered a devastating accident which resulted in the loss of both of his legs.<\/p>\n Remarkably, his racing career did not end there. Zanardi returned to competitive motorsport with adapted controls before discovering handcycling \u2013 initially taking part in marathons before setting his sights on the Paralympic Games.<\/p>\n At London 2012 he won two individual gold medals at Brands Hatch, a circuit where he had raced more than two decades earlier, along with silver in the team relay. Four years later in Rio, he added another two golds and a silver to take his career Paralympic tally to six medals.<\/p>\n