After the raucous of the espionage scandal and a tumultuous Hungarian grand prix, Fernando Alonso has returned home to Switzerland for the well earned summer break.
With formula one now in the deliberate three week calendar gap that ties in with a summer test ban, Spain’s reigning world champion told Sport Bild that he planned to simply relax “with my wife Raquel and friends”.
His teammate and rookie championship leader, Lewis Hamilton, also plans to stay at home near McLaren’s Woking base, as does BMW-Sauber racer Nick Heidfeld, whose partner Patricia recently gave birth to their second child in Zurich.
Williams’ Nico Rosberg will use the August break to spend time with girlfriend Vivian, who is 21, and a group of friends at his famous father Keke’s vacation house on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza.
Toro Rosso rookie Sebastian Vettel plans to be busier, visiting family in his birthplace of Heppenheim (Germany) before returning home to Geneva (Switzerland) and spending time at the STR factory in Italy.
BMW team principal Mario Theissen said: “More than anyone else, the mechanics and engineers are glad to at least be able to enjoy a few days of peace and quiet following the strenuous past weeks and months.”
Most factory-based F1 personnel will, meanwhile, keep working throughout the break.
Ferrari boss Jean Todt said in Hungary that although testing is banned, “we can still work in the wind tunnel and with the simulation facilities”.
