Journey like an F1 driver: Esteban Ocon reveals his favorite vacation spots forward of the summer season break

With the Formula One summer season break arising on the finish of July, the grid is little question already trying ahead to 3 weekends with out racing (some greater than others…).

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Every 12 months, we’re handled to glimpses of what drivers rise up to, from snaps taken on superyachts and in swimming swimming pools to movies of exercises as they put together for the second half of the season.

Among essentially the most well-travelled athletes on the planet, the locations they select to spend their downtime in must be fairly spectacular to impress them.

Want to journey like an F1 driver round Europe? We chatted to Haas F1 Team driver Esteban Ocon about the place he likes to spend his summer season and winter breaks, in addition to his vacation hidden gems.

You grew up in Normandy – do you typically return there on vacation? Is there someplace specifically that you’d suggest individuals go to?

Normandy will all the time have a particular place in my coronary heart. It’s the place every thing began for me. I’m going again when the calendar permits, and it’s actually about household time greater than something.

I additionally nonetheless have a lot of my finest childhood mates who nonetheless reside there, so I all the time attempt to see them. There’s one thing grounding about returning to the place you grew up and coming again to the roots, and that’s one thing that may be very expensive to me.

For individuals visiting, I like to recommend Évreux in fact! The coast is sort of good as properly, particularly in the summertime. The Étretat cliffs are unmissable, dramatic, wild, genuinely breathtaking.

You eat extremely properly in Normandy as properly with many nice high quality native merchandise. The D-Day seashores are additionally deeply shifting and essential. Don’t simply cross via, take the time. Overall, Normandy has lots to supply and it’s an excellent place to spend a number of enjoyable days.

Are there some other locations you end up returning to throughout France over and over?

I actually benefit from the South of France, the areas round Nice, Cannes and so forth. My girlfriend is from there, so I do return typically and it is simply such an attractive place.

The ocean, the mountains, the climate, it’s laborious to beat! I take pleasure in spending time there, particularly across the Monaco Grand Prix which is the beginning of summer season and there’s all the time lots happening within the space round that point.

Now that you just reside in Geneva, might you share a few of your favorite locations that you’d suggest individuals go to?

Sometimes I hear individuals point out Geneva as purely a enterprise metropolis and so they actually miss out.

The lake is magnificent, on a transparent day with the Alps mirrored on the water, it may be a magical sight.

To be sincere, anyplace across the lake is all the time stunning so whether or not I’m going for a stroll with Flavy, going for a jog, a drive, and even taking the boat out, we all know it will likely be an excellent day.

Do you may have any “hidden gems” throughout France, Switzerland, or Europe typically that you just assume individuals overlook?

Annecy, only a quick drive from Geneva into France. It’s truly the place I spend a whole lot of time for my coaching within the low season and between races.

If you don’t realize it, it’s a medieval previous city, with canals, turquoise lake, mountains throughout. It’s very good. I believe it stays beneath the radar in comparison with Chamonix or Nice, which surprises me each time.

Where are a few of your favorite locations to go to over the summer season and winter breaks in F1?

During the summer season break I like being on the water with family and friends. I often spend a quiet week on the boat in both Greece, Italy or the South of France.

After the depth of the primary half of the season, that simplicity is precisely what I must loosen up and unwind and spend a number of consecutive days with family members.

In the winter, I like to remain at house for the vacations, practice at my efficiency centre, and actually prepare for the upcoming season. I could plan a brief weekend someplace as properly, particularly for New Years.

Wherever I’m going on vacation, and even for the races through the 12 months, I ensure that I’ve Ubigi already arrange on my cellphone earlier than I land which makes an actual distinction for me. I’m linked the second I step off the aircraft.