Only seven days off: F1 driver opens up on brutal winter break

A Formula 1 driver has revealed that their off-season amounted to just seven days of downtime over the winter break.

The 2025 campaign featured a punishing 24-race schedule, beginning in Melbourne in March and concluding in Abu Dhabi in early December, leaving drivers and teams eager for a brief period of rest.

However, with sweeping regulation changes coming into force for 2026, the opportunity to switch off has been even more limited. Development work on the new cars has begun almost immediately in January, significantly shortening the off-season recovery window for the grid.

Pre-season testing starts at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya between January 26-30, before a second test at the Bahrain International Circuit between February 11-13. A three day test will also take place in Sakhir between February 18-20, before the season begins in Melbourne on March 6.

Alex Albon back on the grind

“It’s brutal to be honest with you. I don’t think it’s enough,” he said.

“I think I have seven days off. We finish next week, we do something later next week, do the Christmas parties and all this kind of thing, and then we go to the factory.”

“Then I go for seven days, I come back, I do Christmas for my family, and then on the 27 December, I start my training camp.

"Then 5 January, 6 January, we’re back in the factory. So, yes, not a lot of time to rest.”

Adapting to the new cars ahead of the 2026 season, will cause an additional strain as the 22 drivers who once again face a mammoth season of 24 races, including an all new Madrid street circuit.

“I think energy management next year is going to be so important. I think the teams are going to really have to respect that," Albon continued.

“Be quite principled in how we go into the year because it’s busy from testing, busy from such a short turnaround. Yes, it’s going to be tough.”

Related