Home & Life

Most F1 drivers relocate to Monaco or Switzerland as their careers progress. Antonelli, at least at the outset of his F1 career, has remained based in Bologna — close to family and the Italian motorsport world he grew up in. Whether this changes as his career develops remains to be seen, but it reflects a family-rooted identity that contrasts with the Monaco-based driver archetype.

Despite spending most of the F1 season in Europe and maintaining a home in Portugal as well as in São Paulo, Senna remained deeply identified with Brazil. He was acutely aware of the political and economic struggles of ordinary Brazilians during the 1980s and 1990s and spoke about this in interviews. His death in May 1994 resulted in three days of national mourning in Brazil and a state funeral attended by three million people.

Leclerc was born and raised in Monte Carlo, and the Monaco Grand Prix circuit runs through the streets of the principality he calls home. As a child he watched the race from the streets near his house. The experience of racing as a Ferrari driver in the event that passes your bedroom window is one that only he, among current drivers, can claim.

Hill lives in Dublin, Ireland, and has described it as a genuinely excellent place to live — warm, culturally rich, and unpretentious in ways that suit his personality. He works in broadcasting and media in the UK while based in Ireland, and the arrangement appears to suit him well.

Ricciardo relocated to Los Angeles and has spoken about it as genuinely suiting his personality — the climate, the culture, and the Californian approach to life work well for him. He has been photographed at entertainment events, sporting events, and social gatherings across the city, and appears to have built a genuine social life there rather than existing in an F1 bubble.

Like most South American drivers who reach the European racing ladder, Bortoleto relocated well before his F1 career began. Monaco was his chosen base — the same choice as many on the current grid. For a teenager from São Paulo, the adjustment to Monégasque life — the scale, the wealth, the geographical compression — is a significant cultural shift that he navigated as part of a generation of young drivers for whom international mobility is simply a professional requirement.

Most F1 drivers relocate to Monaco or Switzerland for tax and lifestyle reasons. Hadjar has remained based in Paris — a city with obvious appeal but not the standard F1 driver's choice of residence. Whether this changes as his career and earnings develop is an open question, but at the outset of his F1 career, Paris is home.

Jack Doohan grew up in Monaco, where his father settled after his racing career. This means he shares with Charles Leclerc the distinction of having grown up in the principality where one of F1's most iconic races takes place. Unlike Leclerc, however, Doohan did not grow up with a particularly strong Monégasque identity — his identity is Australian, and he races under the Australian flag.

Hunt spent part of his career and immediate post-career period in Spain, before returning to London in the 1980s. His death in 1993 at the age of 45 from a heart attack shocked the motorsport world. He had, by many accounts, turned his life around in his final years — quieter, happier, and devoted to his two children and his friends. He was buried at St James's Church in Marlborough.

Button moved to Los Angeles, where he has invested in property and pursued media opportunities. He has presented motorsport coverage in the US and worked in TV commentary. LA suited him — he's spoken about enjoying the lifestyle, the weather, and the culture in a way that suggests the move was motivated by genuine affinity rather than just business. He races in sports car events in the USA when opportunities arise.

Despite being one of the most famous athletes in the world during his career, Fangio returned to Argentina after retiring and lived a relatively unpretentious life in Buenos Aires and his hometown of Balcarce. He ran a Mercedes-Benz dealership for many years. The contrast between his global status and his personal modesty is frequently noted by biographers.

Räikkönen is among the many F1 drivers who chose Swiss residency. He lives in Baar in the canton of Zug, one of Switzerland's lowest-tax cantons. He has never discussed his financial arrangements publicly, which is consistent with his broader communication philosophy of not discussing anything publicly.

Stroll's upbringing split between Montreal and the family's European bases, particularly Geneva. This international childhood — private schools, multiple languages, multiple countries — shaped a perspective on the world that is genuinely multinational rather than simply 'rich kid who travels'. He speaks English and French fluently.

Pukekohe, where Lawson grew up, hosted the New Zealand Grand Prix at its circuit from 1963 to 2000. The town of around 30,000 people has motorsport in its DNA — the circuit sits on the edge of town and local schoolchildren could hear the engines from their classrooms. Growing up in that environment, surrounded by motorsport history, shaped Lawson's ambitions from a very young age.

Mansell relocated to the Isle of Man — a self-governing Crown dependency with its own tax system and famous for the TT motorcycle races — and has lived there for many years. He has spoken about the island as a genuinely beautiful place with a strong community, not just a tax arrangement. He is a prominent figure in Island life.

Most F1 drivers choose Monaco or Switzerland as their European base. Tsunoda chose Faenza — the small northern Italian city where the AlphaTauri/RB factory is located — to minimise travel time to the team and maximise time working with engineers. The decision reflects his commitment to technical development over lifestyle considerations. Faenza is a pleasant enough place with excellent food, but it is not the obvious choice for a young professional racing driver.

Zhou made the move to Monaco that is standard for Formula 1 drivers once their earnings reach a certain level — the combination of tax advantages, logistics, and community made it the obvious choice. His Shanghai upbringing gives him a bicultural perspective that he has spoken about in terms of managing two very different contexts: the European international world of Formula 1 and the Chinese cultural environment he grew up in.