From Verstappen’s Falcon 900EX to the impressive collection of Niki Lauda, we take a look at how motorsport’s most famous drivers fly about.
Traveling fast often becomes a way of life – be that on the ground or in the air. If adding to that, you travel away from home and all over the world for the better part of the year, it makes sense that you would want as efficient a means of transportation as possible.
As such, it comes as no surprise that over the years, several Formula One drivers have opted for private jets as they hop across continents following the Grand Prix calendar across a season. Let's take a closer look at some of them – and at some other ways in which the world of aviation and the fastest track motorsport on the planet intertwine.
One of the most famous jets out there belongs to the current champion (we will leave discussions about the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP for another occasion), Max Verstappen. The Red Bull Racing number one driver owns a Dassault Falcon 900EX operated by Dutch private jet charter company Exxaero.
This trijet, registered as PH-DTF, has a maximum range of 4,725 NM and a top speed of 893 kph. He bought it from none other than Virgin boss Richard Branson in 2020, reportedly spending €13 million ($14 million).
Verstappen regularly offers other drivers, such as former team-mate Daniel Ricciardo and the latter's current co-driver with McLaren, Lando Norris, a lift to and from the GPs. As many of the F1 drivers live in Monaco, it makes for convenient ride-sharing.
Meanwhile, seven-time world champion and Mercedes driver Sir Lewis Hamilton used to own a Bombardier Challenger 605, registered as G-LCDH (Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton). However, the recently knighted Hamilton sold the burgundy bird back in 2019 to better live up to his own sustainability standards. Hamilton's dog, a bulldog named Roscoe (he used to have two, but Coco sadly passed away in 2020), still apparently flies private from time to time, according to the pup's social media accounts.
Meanwhile, former Renault champion and current Alpine driver Fernando Alonso has a brand partnership with EMCJET. He has at least previously owned a Dassault Falcon 900, registered as EC-JNZ. It can be seen in the top photo of this article parked at Malindi Airport in Kenya after it reportedly clipped a wall prior to take-off.
Another legend with the same number of titles as Sir Lewis, Michael Schumacher, also had a private jet. Before his tragic skiing accident in the French Alps, the German driver owned a silver eight-seat Dassault Falcon 2000EX. Reportedly, it flew for an astonishing 300 to 400 hours per year while he was still driving. It was registered as M-IKEL and had the initials MS stamped on its tail. His wife sold the jet a few years ago as Schumacher's condition, post-accident, sadly means he will not fly in it again.
Even if drivers don't have their own jets, their racing teams often take care of the premium logistics side of things. For instance, Scuderia Ferrari (which, despite some reliability issues and strategic blunders that have cost LeClerc two wins in a row, is looking like a real contender this year) partners with global business aviation powerhouse VistaJet to transport racers on their missions.
“In an industry where speed and efficiency are fundamental, VistaJet is supporting the team with travel between races throughout the 2021 Formula 1 season. This will allow the Scuderia Ferrari team to further utilize time off track and arrive in optimum condition,” VistaJet stated.
“With often only days between Grands Prix, the team faces challenging timelines. VistaJet places the utmost importance on service and operational excellence. On its owned fleet of over 70 aircraft, VistaJet has completed over 190,300 flights globally, safely flying over 472,000 passengers to more than 1,900 airports worldwide.”
Alfa Romeo has partnered with Austrian executive jet operator Globeair since 2018, and the McLaren team gets around on jets provided by German FAI Aviation Group since 2020.
A familiar Formula One/aviation name is Andreas Nikolaus ‘Niki’ Lauda. Before his passing three years ago, the former racing driver and entrepreneur was an influential force across the board. Along with the founding of various aviation enterprises, he was also a fan of private jets. The racing legend acquired the first Bombardier Global 7500 delivered to Europe, but also owned other jets, including a Global 6000, Global 5000, and Challenger 300.
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Sometimes, the bosses also get their hands dirty in the pilot's seat. According to Air Charter Service, Daniel Ricciardo shared that his most exciting air journey was when businessman Dietrich Mateschitz flew him back from a Grand Prix in a Cessna Citation Bravo aircraft. Mateschitz piloted the aircraft himself while Ricciardo enjoyed the luxuries on board!
Speaking of bosses, former Formula One Group chief executive Bernie Ecclestone is also the owner of private jet aircraft. He holds a Dassault Falcon 7X private jet with registration N-999BE. This trijet was first delivered in 2008 and can serve up to 16 passengers with a range of up to 5,950 NM. Notably, the price of one of these jets is approximately $40 million.
Nonetheless, not all drivers opt to fly privately. Several have been spotted flying on business and first class seats on commercial aircraft. For long-haul trips to the likes of Shangai, Singapore, and Tokyo, this approach is often the most viable option. However, they do not always get offered special treatment, and viewers of Valterri Bottas' social media were recently treated to the Alfa Romeo transfer's displeasure at canceled and rerouted flights by United Airlines resulting in a 32-hour ordeal and three mishandled bags.
Jets also play a crucial part in this ground sport in the broader sense. DHL has been teaming up with Formula One for approximately four decades to ensure cars and parts are smoothly delivered across the continents. The shipping specialist uses its planes based in Munich and London to fly 1,400 tons of equipment from one GP to the next.
Altogether, with such busy schedules, it won’t be a surprise to see F1 drivers continue to hit the skies in private jets in the near future. However, with sustainability at the forefront for all industries this decade (for instance, F1 has banned military fly-over displays for 2022), more racers may follow the example set by Hamilton. Overall, there could be more drivers flying charters or commercially down the track (pun intended).
What are your thoughts about the private jets of Formula One drivers? Are there any other jets that racers have owned over the decades that you have been a fan of? Let us know what you think of the planes and their services in the comment section.
Source: Air Charter Service
Deputy Editor – Sumit comes to Simple Flying with more than eight years’ experience as a professional journalist. Having written for The Independent, Evening Standard, and others, his role here allows him to explore his enthusiasm for aviation and travel. Having built strong relationships with Qatar Airways, United Airlines, Aeroflot, and more, Sumit excels in both aviation history and market analysis. Based in London, UK.
Lead Sustainability Journalist – With a Masters in International Relations, Linnea has combined her love for current affairs with her passion for travel to become a key member of the Simple Flying team. With eight years’ experience in publishing and citations in publications such as CNN, Linnea brings a deep understanding of politics and future aviation tech to her stories. Based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.