What cars do F1 drivers use on the road?

Renault Megane Coupe, Fiat 500 and Mercedes GL-Class

Christopher Gleason suggested “A look at cars the driver’s love outside of work” as the topic for an article.

I’ve had a scour around the internet to find out what cars F1 drivers own and here’s what I’ve found, from supercars to superminis…

Fernando Alonso

Renault Megane Coupe

Fernando Alonso with a Renault Megane Coupe (click to enlarge)

Fernando Alonso visited Renault’s Enstone factory last week in a brand new Renault Megane Coupe. Having spent five years on Renault’s F1 race team he’s used to having to drive some of their – shall we say – less exciting models….

Renaultsport Clio 197

Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella with a Renaultsport Clio 197 (click to enlarge)

Here’s Alonso in his pre-McLaren days taking delivery of a Renaultsport Clio 197. He might not miss driving for Ron Dennis, but surely he misses some of the four-wheeled perks of driving for McLaren such as…

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 (click to enlarge)

Not just any SLR McLaren, but the limited edition tuned version named ‘722’ in recognition of Stirling Moss’s victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia (722 was Moss’s starting time and number). I wonder if Alonso had to hand this back after leaving the team last year?

Giancarlo Fisichella

Renault Vel Satis

Renault Vel Satis (click to enlarge)

Similarly I wonder if Fisichella had to give the keys to his Vel Satis back? He can’t have been too upset to – it’s a whole different kind of ugly and Renault don’t even make it any more.

Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes-Benz GL Class

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes GL Class (click to enlarge)

Lewis Hamilton is very cool you see. So cool that when Mercedes asked what car he’d want he didn’t pick something obvious like an SLR McLaren or a C63 AMG, he plumped for a pimp-tastic GL Class.

Hmm. I hope for his sake the only reason he got this was it was the most expensive Mercedes he could get insured on. I know he’s a world champion and everything but getting a 23 year-old insured on an SLR can’t be cheap, especially if Direct Line saw what he did at Montreal this year.

Smart Roadster Brabus

Smart Roadster Brabus (click to enlarge)

Before he got into F1 Mercedes gave him a Smart Roadster to drive. A Brabus-tuned one, yes, but still a Smart Roadster.

McLaren F1 LM

McLaren F1 LM (click to enlarge)

Hamilton has big dreams now – his sights are set on a McLaren F1 LM. The price to him? Two more world championships…

Felipe Massa

Maserati Quattroporte

Maserati Quattroporte (click to enlarge)

Very classy choice of ride by Felipe Massa. Hooning around in a Ferrari would be a bit obvious, a Quattroporte is a stylish, classy choice. Of course I’m sure he does plenty of hooning as well though…

Kimi Raikkonen

Iceman 2 bike by Marcus Walz

Iceman 2 bike for Kimi Raikkonen by Marcus Walz, Hardcore Cycles (Click to enlarge)

Raikkonen has a custom-built bike called “Iceman 2” created by Marcus Walz of Hardcore Cycles. Now, my automotive tastes are ‘four wheels not two’ and ‘performance above looks’ so this is really not my type of thing. But the style is typical Raikkonen – right down to the cheeky Cavallino Rampante on the rear wheel. What would Enzo have said…

David Coulthard

Maserati GranSport

Maserati GranSport (click to enlarge)

Coulthard is with Massa in in the Maser club – but he’s got something a bit more special as well…

1971 Mercedes 280SE

Mercedes-Benz 280SE (click to enlarge)

Not just any 280SE, this one was built in the month Coulthard was born. But with a wife and son to look after now perhaps Coulthard should see if Alonso has any second-hand superminis he’s trying to get rid of…

Mark Webber

Porsche Carrera GT

Porsche Carrera GT

Sadly for Webber, it will be a while before he gets to drive his Carrera GT again. And the same goes for Lewis Hamilton’s dad Anthony, who crashed on earlier this year…

Timo Glock

Toyota Aygo Crazy

Timo Glock, Toyota Aygo Crazy (click to enlarge)

Glock drove this Aygo Crazy (geddit?) concept car as a promotional stunt for the British Motor Show earlier this year. If only Toyota actually sold cars half as interesting is this, Glock presumably thought to himself…

Jarno Trulli

Fiat 500

Fiat 500 (click to enlarge)

Another F1 driver with a taste for the classics – Jarno Trulli has an original Fiat 500, as does this man:

Michael Schumacher

Ferrari FXX

Ferrari FXX (click to enlarge)

As well as retro Fiats Schumacher gets to have a little fun as well and has done a lot of work on developing Ferrari road cars. The pinnacle of that work must be the Ferrari Enzo-based FXX, a special track day car of which only 30 were built and the last went to Schumacher.

Fiat Stilo Schumacher GP and Seicento Michael Schumacher

Fiat Stilo Michael Schumacher GP (click to enlarge)

Ultra-exclusive 217mph supercars are all well and good but in exchange for that Ferrari’s parent company Fiat got to slap Schumacher’s name onto some less exciting machines. Step forward the Stilo Schumacher GP (above) and Seicento Michael Schumacher (below). I wonder if he has one of each stashed in his garage somewhere?

Fiat Seicento Michael Schumacher (click to enlarge)

All of which leaves us with one inevitable question: which F1 driver has the best taste in cars? And are there many more out there I’ve missed? Post your comments below…

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29 comments on “What cars do F1 drivers use on the road?”

mani
2nd December 2008, 8:48

Cool post, Keith!

Loki
4th December 2008, 13:36

That Iceman bike looks the biz – I’m not a major fan of bikes, but damn…I want!

For all round motoring I’d say DC and Massa have it right with their respective Maseratis.

I’d love a Ferrari FXX and a McLaren F1 LM (yes, I wouldn’t mind a McLaren, for once!) but:

a) not exactly inconspicuous
b) not very practical
c) wouldn’t want to be responsible for a -1 count supercar populations are famous for
d) too scared someone would buy a Cortina and ram it into my car just to spite me (I know someone who did this!)

Mind you, if I was an F1 driver, or ex-F1 driver, I don’t think I’d be concerned with any of those…

reindeer47
4th December 2008, 15:44

Nice article, really didn’t expect that some of them drive in ‘normal’ cars.

Mathias
4th December 2008, 17:19

Ex F1 driver Eddy Ervine has a Ferrari 288 GTO, one of my favorite Ferrari’s.

sujesh
4th December 2008, 20:04

i think kimi owns a Ferrari Enzo ( no idea which model exactly ) . from here http://www.formula1.com/teams_and_drivers/hall_of_fame/12/

Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
4th December 2008, 20:21

Well spotted Sujesh!

tophatal
5th December 2008, 5:33

I like the vehicles these guys have. And far be it for meto say but if anything they feel comfortable in what they drive on the road. I guess it might reflect their personality to an extent.

Paige
5th December 2008, 6:43

I’m going to go with the Iceman on this one. When it comes to road vehicles, I prefer two wheels to four, and Raikkonen showed darn good taste with his selection.

Violet
7th December 2008, 10:56

The Jarno Trulli’s car is very funny. I thought that it’s joke but…

Adrian
8th December 2008, 8:32

I bet Jenson is hoping David Richards & Prodrive do buy HondaF1, cos then he’ll be able to change his company car from a Honda Civic Hybrid to a nice shiny new Aston…

Violet
8th December 2008, 15:53

I think that you Keith would see something: http://www.sportfan.pl/artykul/5533/zobacz-prywatne-fury-kierowcow-f1-czym-jezdzi-kubica

PS. sorry for my english :/

Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
8th December 2008, 16:03

Well they put a lot of effort into that, didn’t they? Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V…

Violet
8th December 2008, 20:15

a lot of effort :D
it’s very annoying when this website write that Heidfeld is Kubica’s enemy no. 1, and if Nick or team did sth wrong in race, show big letters: BMW HELPS NICK INSTEAD OF KUBICA, later Polish think that Nick is wrong bla,bla,bla… but i admit that I don’t like Nick and… Lewis

auto expert
26th December 2008, 9:56

Cools cars. Interesting article. This post attracts a number of readers fond of motorcars and bilkes.

graham228221
29th December 2008, 20:57

Don’t forget Jensen’s awesome VW Camper!!!

http://updates.absolutely.net/20080613/whisky_mist_celebs_03_wenn1917550.html

Serg
30th December 2008, 12:29

Interesting article but I just wanted to point out that, in an interview with Alonso. The reporter pointed out that Ron Dennis said he Alonso was the only driver to purchase a Mclaren SLR out of his own pocket. In which Alonso replied “Well Ron didn’t give me one. He should give it for free!”