Summary
- Formula 1 drivers travel between races in various ways, with some drivers owning their own private jets.
- Some teams, like Scuderia Ferrari, have partnered with the private jet charter company VistaJet.
- Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Max Verstappen had or still have their own private jets to get to races and other destinations.
With Formula 1 being the epitome of luxury, you can only assume that private jet usage is rampant within the sport, with drivers, executives, and sponsors flying out to races with private aircraft. Some drivers own their private jets, while others utilize aircraft provided by the teams, which includes partnerships with charter companies.
At times, drivers have to resort to flying commercially. For example, Kevin Magnussen, a driver for the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, had to miss team activities on one day at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2023. As reported by Autoweek, the Dane was bumped from a flight between Mexico and Brazil and was forced to find an alternative way to get to the latter country, with Magnussen flying through Bogota, Colombia, to reach Sao Paolo, Brazil.
5 Dannel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda
Representing: Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team
- Aircraft flying on: HondaJet Elite
While Honda, as a car manufacturer, has withdrawn from the sport as an engine marker, pledging to return in 2026, it has continued to work with Red Bull Powertrains to provide power units to Red Bull Racing and Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team, its sister team.
Photo: Honda
However, in 2020, Honda Aircraft Company delivered a HondaJet Elite to AlphaTauri, which is now known as the Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team. As recently as September 2023, HondaJet posted on Instagram that the partnership with AlphaTauri has continued, with the private jet sporting the F1 team’s livery.
Whether that partnership has remained to this day remains to be seen, with the aircraft, registered as OE-FAA, flying as recently as April 18, when it operated several flights between Salzburg Airport (SZG) and St. Gallen Altenrhein Airport (ACH). Meanwhile, the F1 circuit visited the Shanghai International Circuit on April 21 and a few days before, meaning that the private jet was not in China for the race.
Why Is The HondaJet So Popular?
Stylish, efficient, and affordable, with over 250 examples produced.
4 Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc
Representing: Scuderia Ferrari
- Aircraft flying on: VistaJet’s fleet
Meanwhile, Scuderia Ferrari, represented by Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, has a partnership with VistaJet, a private jet charter company that also owns a fleet of aircraft from various manufacturers, including Bombardier, Cessna, Embraer, Dassault, and Gulfstream. Nevertheless, VistaJet said that as the team’s official partner it,
“[…] is flying the team between races throughout the Formula 1 season. With often only days between Grands Prix, VistaJet will be flying across five continents to support Scuderia Ferrari in this truly global competition.”
Photo: Sam Churchill | VistaJet
How The Other Half Fly: VistaJet Goes To Enviable Lengths To Make Air Travel Better For Your Body
The private jet charter company wants to take the stress and strain out of traveling by plane.
3 Lewis Hamilton
Representing: Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team
- Aircraft sold: Bombardier Challenger 605
While Lewis Hamilton has since sold his Bombardier Challenger 605, the joint-record holder for the most F1 World Drivers’ Champions (WDC), the British driver had the aircraft for quite a while. The distinct cherry livery charted Hamilton, as well as his dogs, until 2019 when the driver parted ways with the Challenger 605.
The aircraft was registered as G-LCDH, with it being active on the radar almost three years ago when it was operated by London Executive Aviation Ltd 11EB, according to data by FlightAware. Presumably, it has been sold off and re-registered.
Why Did Lewis Hamilton Sell His Cherry Red Bombardier Challenger?
Lewis Hamilton sold his Bombardier Challenger 605 in 2019.
2 Fernando Alonso
Representing: Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team
- Aircraft flying on: Dassault Falcon 900
Fernando Alonso, the driver with the most experience on the grid, has been the owner of a Dassault Falcon 900 trijet. The Spaniard has also partnered with EMCJET, a full-service aircraft brokerage and management company in 2020. At the time, the company said that Alonso became its official private aviation partner. Memo Montemayor, the Founder and President of EMCJET, said that Alonso is a great athlete, business owner, and philanthropist.
“We are delighted to partner with him as he travels the globe for his races and business.”
Photo: Flight Video and Photo | Shutterstock
However, EMCJET did not detail much about the partnership and whether the company would take over the management of Alonso’s private jet. The Spanish driver has published two Instagram posts in January 2021 and January 2022 about traveling with EMCJET. His 2023 helmet included the company’s logo, meaning that the driver still had partnered with the company at the time. Whether that partnership has remained in place is unclear.
1 Max Verstappen
Representing: Oracle Red Bull Racing
- Aircraft flying on: Dassault Falcon 900EX
While Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher share the record for the most WDC titles, Max Verstappen is hot on their heels, with the Dutch driver having won three titles in a row. And as Verstappen continues dominating the sport, he jets around the world using his Dassault Falcon 900EX private jet, registered as PH-OTF.
Photo: M.J.J. de Vaan | Shutterstock
The aircraft sports a distinct all-black livery with orange accents, representing Verstappen’s home country of the Netherlands. However, the aircraft does not appear on flight tracking websites, including ADS-B Exchange, which typically shows aircraft that are not shown on traditional flight tracking sites.
A Look At F1 World Champion Max Verstappen’s Private Jet
Sometimes nicknamed ‘the flying Dutchman,’ Verstappen certainly takes to the skies in style!
