A quiet moment before the storm: how the F1 paddock spent the break

It is a rare, fleeting moment of calm in the frantic world of Formula 1. With the British Grand Prix behind us and the legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps looming on the horizon, the drivers have been making the most of their brief window of freedom. Before we dive into the intensity of a double-header leading into the summer break, it is worth looking at exactly how the grid filled their calendars while the rest of us waited for the racing to resume.

Goodwood was, as ever, the epicenter of the action. Lando Norris seemed to be everywhere at once: piloting McLaren’s WEC hypercar up the hill, drifting an LB-Super Silhouette NISSAN 180SX, and sharing the stage with his hero Valentino Rossi. The McLaren team also treated fans to a piece of history, running the MP4/8 chassis fitted with its rare Chrysler-Lamborghini V12 engine, with Bruno Senna behind the wheel. The Red Bull camp was equally active, with Adrian Newey taking the RB17 hypercar for a spin alongside Yuki Tsunoda, Isack Hadjar, and Alisha Palmowski, while Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad put on a show in their VCARB RB8s for Racing Bulls. Even Williams stepped back into the golden days, as Damon Hill climbed back into his title-winning FW18 for a poignant 30th-anniversary celebration.

Away from the engines, the elite of tennis drew a crowd at Wimbledon. Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez took in the atmosphere at Centre Court, but it was Kimi Antonelli who made the headlines by catching up with Jannik Sinner. The 19-year-old Antonelli also spent time with the legendary Roger Federer, even joking about a cross-sport trade of karting for tennis lessons.

Finally, the eyes of the paddock turned toward September, as Ferrari took to the new Madring circuit. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were the ones handed the keys to the SF-26, completing the maiden laps of the 22-turn layout that mixes public roads with permanent track. It is a stunning bit of preparation for the Spanish Grand Prix later this year.

Meanwhile, the world of cycling has captured the attention of others. Tadej Pogacar continues to dominate the Tour de France, much to the encouragement of Carlos Sainz, who is a friend of the rider. Valtteri Bottas, never one to miss an opportunity on two wheels, has been busy cycling through the Rocky Mountains in Aspen, Colorado, alongside Tiffany Cromwell.