New Zealand has a lot of famous racers who have captured the hearts of many fans of this sport. Athletes spend much of their lives preparing for competitions or recovering from them, leaving little time for personal pursuits. However, when they’re on vacation or have a day off, everyone has different leisure preferences. Below is a look at the leisure pursuits of many New Zealand racers.
New Zealand Racers
New Zealand drivers are known for their small population, which regularly produces good motorsport athletes. Many spend 200 days a year travelling between championships, tests, and training. Their daily schedule often offers 5–6 days of physical training per week and 2–4 hour simulator sessions to maintain their reaction time. Not all drivers share their personal lives, but their fans often notice them in real life.
- Scott Dixon;
- Scott McLaughlin;
- Shane van Gisbergen;
- Liam Lawson;
- Brendon Hartley;
- Nick Cassidy;
- Earl Bamber;
- Chris Amon.
The hobbies of the racers are not extreme, because calm and controlled entertainment helps to relax. Fans can see them at football matches, cycling, or golf. In everyday life, they avoid unnecessary risks. Journalists note that New Zealand racers combine maximum professionalism on the track with a fairly balanced and calm rest outside it.
Gambling
Racers choose gambling and sports betting because of their accessibility and contrast with their disciplined lives. Studies indicate that 0.5–2% of professional athletes worldwide enjoy casino entertainment, but the proportion of New Zealand racers with gambling preferences is higher. Casino entertainment attracts them because the result is known within minutes. The main advantage of the games is the mechanics of chance and the effect of anticipating a win, which psychologically activates the dopamine system of the brain. There are a few gambling establishments in New Zealand, but racing fans have noticed athletes from time to time in Las Vegas casinos. The most recent confirmed cases were the game of Liam Lawson and Earl Bamber.
Some racers play online casino games, selecting clubs using bonus eligibility overview sites. This type of industry gives $80–100 billion annually, but 60% of this volume falls on mobile gambling clubs. The quick reward factor, where one session lasts 1–5 minutes, is an advantage. Online gambling offers controlled risk without physical danger, which distinguishes it from real-life extreme sports. So, it becomes for some people a quick and emotionally rich way to take a short break between intense periods of work or training. Shane van Gisbergen said that online entertainment is convenient, because you don’t have to leave your home or adjust while working.
Intellectual leisure
Intellectual leisure is necessary for the balance in the life of New Zealand racers, as it helps to maintain concentration, strategic thinking, and speed of decision-making. Professional pilots can spend more than an hour a day in racing simulators during the season, where they analyze the trajectories or behavior of rivals. Athletes try to be interested in activities that develop memory, logic, and viewing details. This type of activity doesnʼt create physical stress, but allows the brain to remain active even during periods of rest. This is important because sportsmen need to make decisions in a split second on the track. Statistics show that racers usually choose:
- Online chess and strategy games;
- Telemetry analysis and viewing of racing data;
- 2026 quizzes and logic puzzles;
- Reading books on sports psychology and leadership;
- Studying the technical aspects of cars and new technologies.
Scott McLaughlin, Shane van Gisbergen, and Liam Lawson use racing simulators to prepare for races and as a way to spend time with their children and wife. New Zealand people know Scott Dixon for his analytical approach to racing who often pays attention to studying geometry and racing strategies to better understand the details of his challenges. Nick Cassidy and Earl Bamber have also claimed not once about the importance of watching race competitions and working with technical information between championship rounds. A team can collect 1000+ telemetry parameters during a single race weekend in 2026 motorsport. They are analyzed by drivers and engineers, which is similar to the principle of Casino Analyzer. This website provides an online casino overview for Canadians, New Zealanders, and Australians today.
Travel and Outdoor Activities
Travel and outdoor activities are a nice decision for New Zealand racers after competitions. Drivers often use their free time to check new countries and cultures because of the constant travel between championships. Many of them prefer quiet tourism, nature walks, and relaxing by the ocean. Hiking, fishing, and cycling are popular for introverts (Chris Amon and Nick Cassidy). These kinds of activities help to restore strength after hard races and reduce stress levels. Also, nature has a positive effect on the physical and psychological health of athletes.
New Zealand drivers occasionally choose golf and running, because it requires good weather. This type of pastime allows NZ people to have good physical shape without unnecessary risk to their health. Scott Dixon and Brendon Hartley have repeatedly mentioned their love of family vacations while traveling. Liam Lawson and Shane van Gisbergen also often spend their free time outside the city in summer. According to the Active NZ Survey 2024/25, 61% of New Zealand adults regularly meet the recommended level of physical activity.
Spending time in other sports
Many New Zealand racers are interested in other sports that help them stay fit and diversify their leisure time. Scott Dixon regularly plays tennis, which helps develop concentration and patience. Scott McLaughlin is a keen swimmer and uses cycling as part of his training. Shane van Gisbergen is known for his love of mountain biking and hunting. Liam Lawson sometimes takes part in basketball games with friends during the off-season. However, each of them prefers to spend their long vacations passively in online casinos or lying on the beach, sunbathing, and swimming in the ocean.
Brendon Gartley and Earl Bamber often choose jogging and gym training to have big muscles and stamina. Nick Cassidy likes water polo and has a rest on the New Zealand coast. Chris Amon was interested in rugby in his younger years. It’s one of the most popular sports in the country in 2026. Many racers also attend sporting events as fans to support local teams. Extra sports activities bring a better mood and affect the coordination of movements and the general physical condition of sportsmen. According to Sport New Zealand, 70% of New Zealand adults regularly participate in sports or recreational activities.
