From the grid to greatness: unexpected second careers of F1 drivers

It is funny how life goes once the visor comes down for the final time. We usually picture retired Grand Prix drivers sliding nicely into the commentary box, taking over as team bosses, or managing the next crop of talent. But some of these characters traded high-speed machines for something entirely different—farming, politics, fishing trawlers, and even Paralympic gold.

Take Niki Lauda, a three-time World Champion who achieved legendary status battling James Hunt and later helped shape Mercedes' dominance. Even while his racing career was still unfolding, Lauda founded Lauda Air in 1979 during his first retirement from F1. He eventually turned to aviation full-time after calling it a day in 1985, later expanding into ventures like Niki and Laudamotion.

Then there is Paolo Barilla, whose F1 stint included 15 Grand Prix entries and 9 starts across two seasons for Minardi, with an 11th-place personal best. By 1991, he stepped away to join his family business, eventually becoming Deputy Chairman of the Barilla Group in 1994—a role he still holds today. His two worlds even collided in 2025 when Barilla became an official Formula 1 partner.

In South America, Carlos Reutemann came agonizingly close to the 1981 F1 world title, losing out to Nelson Piquet by a single point at the Las Vegas finale. After racking up 12 Grand Prix victories and cementing his legacy behind Juan Manuel Fangio, the Argentine traded motorsport for the cutthroat arena of politics. Elected governor of his home province of Santa Fe in 1991, he served until 1995 and returned for a second term from 1999 to 2003, before serving as a national senator from 2009 until his death in 2021. He was even considered a serious potential candidate for the Argentine presidency before declining to run in 2002.

Others took paths driven by faith or rhythm. Alex Ribeiro raced for Hesketh, March, and Copersucar-Fittipaldi in the 1970s while proudly displaying a 'Jesus Saves' message on his F2 machinery. After hanging up his helmet, he became executive director of Atletas de Cristo and served as a chaplain to the Brazilian national football team through several World Cups—including their victorious 1994 campaign—before eventually returning to the F1 paddock to drive the Medical Car. Meanwhile, Jaime Alguersuari made history at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix by becoming the youngest driver the sport had ever seen at 19 years old for Toro Rosso. After losing his seat at the end of 2011 and stepping away from racing entirely in his mid-20s, he leaned into his lifelong passion for electronic music, performing internationally as a DJ and producer under the name Squire.