F1 drivers' yachts could make up an entire fleet.

      The summer break in the championship is coming to an end; next week the teams will gather in the paddock again — the 15th round of the season will take place at the Dutch circuit in Zandvoort. But judging by the photos and videos that local favorite Max Verstappen continues to share on social media, he is in no hurry to get back to work and intends to relax to the fullest.

      There is no doubt the four-time world champion deserves it. These days Max is spending time somewhere on warm seas; at least relatively recently he was on the island of Sardinia. But we're not talking about the geography of his movements around the Mediterranean now, we're talking about the vessel he is using.

      This year Verstappen became the owner of a yacht he named Unleash the Lion. It costs at least €15 million, but, according to Marca, the version of the vessel built to the Red Bull Racing driver's specifications is valued at more than €35 million. The Spanish newspaper quotes a colorful remark from some expert who said that on this yacht "on race weekends some villain from a James Bond film could quite possibly be hiding out."

      The yacht is fitted to provide maximum comfort for 12 passengers, served by a crew of five. During the race weekend in Monaco the yacht was moored in the principality's harbor, although before that Verstappen had tried not to draw attention to his purchase.

      George Russell has also become a member of Formula 1's yacht club, but his vessel is somewhat more modest and compact. The Mercedes driver invested around €3 million in a Pershing 6 yacht — it is also Italian-built, like Max's Mangusta Gransport, but was launched by a different shipyard. The yacht has four passenger cabins, a spacious saloon on the upper deck, and a galley packed with modern kitchen equipment.

      In short, it's a real floating home, where George relaxed in August with his girlfriend Carmen Mundt and a group of friends.

      Fernando Alonso is famous for doing everything his own way, so it's no surprise his yacht is rather unconventional. Four years ago we reported that he ordered an 18-meter Sunreef Power Eco catamaran equipped with electric motors and solar panels, and in 2023 received the finished "electric ship."

      The choice of electric technologies was not accidental: Alonso, like many, is concerned about the state of the world's ecology. Marca quotes his words about this yacht, whose engines make almost no noise: "On board the most important thing is that there is silence and calm, that you can breathe fresh air and enjoy good company. Sea voyages are not for showing off your ego."

      Lewis Hamilton is also a boat owner, and a long-standing one. Back in 2009 he acquired a Sunseeker 90 — a "dreadnought" with a hull length of 28 meters, capable of an impressive speed of up to 30 knots. They say his superyacht features luxurious American walnut trim, and many celebrities have visited it at the invitation of the seven-time world champion.

      Most often his yacht can be seen around Monaco's harbor, but Hamilton, when he needs to, charters other vessels of a similar class, so only those close to him know exactly where he spends his time if he wants to go sailing.

      Charles Leclerc, his teammate at Ferrari, has as many as two yachts. One is called Sedici, i.e., "sixteen" in Italian — that's the number under which he competes in Formula 1. It's a very elegant Italian Riva 66 Ribelle, and it costs no less than $6 million. He named the second Monza in honor of his victory at the 2019 Italian Grand Prix. It was also built by Riva, but is smaller in size and even faster. It belongs to the Sportscruisers category.

      Carlos Sainz's boat appears to be even smaller, but it seems to suit him, and the Williams driver spent this week relaxing on board. About three days ago he shared an intriguing video that was shot, among other things, underwater.

      The thing is, one of his friends accidentally dropped a metal ladder overboard — the kind used to make it easier to climb back on board after swimming. And Carlos, armed with a rope fitted with a large hook, dived down to an 11-meter depth like Ichthyander, so the ladder was successfully retrieved from the seabed.