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The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were both cancelled at the last minute, with speculation briefly swirling over potential replacements – from Melbourne stepping in to a reshuffle towards Europe – before Formula One ultimately decided to pull the plug.
With only three races in the books – Melbourne, China and Japan – the unexpected pause handed drivers rare downtime, and they made full use of it – from golf courses and music festivals to appearances at luxury brand launches and major sporting events.
Here’s how the grid spent their impromptu break.
Lewis Hamilton’s been busy – even if his socials don’t show it all. He’s been spotted with new love interest Kim Kardashian drifting an F40 in Tokyo, hanging out at Coachella, and most recently cosying up on a beach in Malibu.
Meanwhile, on his own channels, it’s a different story – sharing time with family, shooting hoops with friends, and even squeezing in a private samurai lesson in a Dojo.
Kimi Antonelli spent Easter weekend at Valentino Rossi’s ranch, staying off the bike but watching on as VR46 Academy riders and other big names tore up the dirt.
He also made an appearance at the World Endurance Championship in Imola as a VIP guest, while using his own platforms to share a campaign with Fondazione ANT, supporting cancer prevention awareness.
Oscar Piastri kept things pretty low-key over the break, celebrating his 25th birthday across the Easter weekend, complete with a custom Easter egg designed like his racing helmet.
Aside from a post tied to his Google Pixar campaign, the Aussie stayed largely off socials, reportedly remaining in Monaco rather than heading home to Melbourne, where he was also spotted at the Monte Carlo Masters tennis tournament.
Pierre Gasly kept things close to home over the break. He was spotted at Parc des Princes catching a PSG game, stepped into his role as a new Lacoste ambassador with a campaign shoot, and appeared on Le Night Show alongside Esteban Ocon and Isack Hadjar.
He also shared a carousel of photos from the break, balancing event appearances with quieter time at home alongside girlfriend Francisca Cerqueira Gomes and their dog, Simba.
One of the busiest both on and off social media, Valtteri Bottas began in Austin promoting a new partnership with Emerald Stay, before returning to Monaco to spend Easter with his partner, Australian cyclist Tiffany Cromwell. He later headed to Laguna Seca for the Sea Otter Classic, where he finished third.
From there, he made his way to Coachella, sharing a tongue-in-cheek outfit change from cycling gear to full desert festival mode.
He was later spotted with fellow Australian and former driver Daniel Ricciardo, before a final stop at Jim Beam in Kentucky ahead of Miami — all while maintaining his trademark humour.
Esteban Ocon spent much of the break back home in France, initially spotted boarding a private jet — seemingly bound for Paris — where he spent time in the city with his girlfriend, Flavy Barla.
While there, he appeared on Le Night Show alongside Pierre Gasly and Isack Hadjar, and was also seen at Parc des Princes for PSG’s Champions League quarter-final clash with Liverpool. Like several drivers, he later made the trip to Geneva, attending Watches and Wonders launch.
Liam Lawson gave fans a glimpse into his break with an Instagram carousel, returning home to New Zealand for some downtime. From driving around the farm in his Ford Ranger Raptor and riding dirt bikes to reading to his niece, playing guitar and hitting the golf course, the Racing Bulls driver had a laid-back reset.
Carlos spent his final weekend off golfing and cycling, piloting a black Ford Ranger Raptor. Earlier in April, he teamed up with Lando Norris to test karts from the past 100 years in a video for the 2025 champion’s Quadrant YouTube channel.
Newly married, Charles Leclerc kept things low-key in Monaco, sharing glimpses of life at home with his wife — including time with their dog Leo and a short clip of the pair playing padel.
He also joked about his “first victory of 2026” referring to a go-karting win, as he’s yet to score a victory with Ferrari this season.
The Ferrari driver also shared glimpses from a recent shoot after being announced as a brand ambassador for L'Oreal.
Franco Colapinto drew an estimated 600,000 fans as he put on a Formula One demonstration in Buenos Aires, driving a replica of the Mercedes-Benz W196, the car once driven by Juan Manuel Fangio.
The local star thrilled crowds with burnouts, donuts and high-speed runs in a landmark moment on home streets.
Others kept a much lower profile over the break, with little seen from the likes of Nico Hülkenberg or Lance Stroll – the latter known to have had a tough outing in GT3. There was also minimal noise from Audi’s Nico and Gabi, with both largely staying out of the spotlight. With the Miami Grand Prix up next, attention quickly turns back to racing – and it won’t be long before teams begin rolling out early changes to their cars in response to the regulation amendments.
Emma has been on our television screens for over a decade. Most of her time in the industry has been spent at racetracks reporting at major motorsport events in Australia - from TCR and Superbikes to Porsche Sprint Challenge and Supercars. Emma has also hosted various MotoGP and F1 events interviewing the likes of Daniel Ricciardo and Jack Miller. Having previously presented on an automotive show, she made her move to the Drive family in 2020. Fiercely proud of her Italian heritage, Emma is a coffee loving, stylish-black wearing resident of Melbourne.
