Hamilton hits waves with Ferrari rival as F1 stars pictured on break

Formula 1's official social media account has taken a guess at what drivers may be up to during their winter break, imagining a scene in which all 20 are relaxing.

The long and gruelling season started back in March and came to an end in late November, when Max Verstappen cruised to his 19th victory of the year at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Ahead of what is set to be a record-breaking 24-race campaign, the grid is now off resting and recuperating before getting ready to go again at pre-season testing in Bahrain in February.

Now, F1 have mocked up an image of how the drivers may be enjoying their annual leave, with Lance Stroll strapped to a jet pack, George Russell stood in his infamous title pose, arms outstretched, and Charles Leclerc piloting a boat.

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It's party time!

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz were snapped on the water together, with the seven-time world champion windsurfing with a big grin on his face. Sainz, meanwhile, was attached to the back of a boat and relishing water skiing.

Also in the graphic, Pierre Gasly could be seen helping his old team-mate Yutki Tsunoda score a slam dunk, a real-life scenario shared by AlphaTauri on X.

World champion Verstappen, fresh from his third-consecutive title, made the most of his time away from the wheel by bobbing on the water in an inflatable. On shore, Sergio Perez cheered on his peers, enjoying a humorous game of basketball.

From a vantage position up high, Daniel Ricciardo soaked up the joyous atmosphere with his phone camera, while Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, sparring partners at Alfa Romeo, kicked back and caught some sun on deck chairs.

Elsewhere, Fernando Alonso took part in scuba diving and Williams' Alex Albon steered a remote controlled boat across the waves.

Out of office: ?#F1 pic.twitter.com/A3MtntnUjL

— Formula 1 (@F1) December 1, 2023

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