F1 recharges its batteries

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Formula One may be on its summer break, but for the drivers even a trip home means a lot of time in the gym.

With races every other weekend for the bulk of the year, a three-week gap between grands prix has given the sport a breather.

But as the sport embraces expansion, it could be the last summer break for a while.

The time off is a godsend for travel-weary mechanics, who may have caught only a few days with their families since the opening round in Australia in March.

For the drivers, the traditional summer hiatus incorporates a testing ban, so they will not turn a wheel in anger until the first practice session for the European Grand Prix in Valencia at the end of August.

However, some have appearance obligations to sponsors and all will ensure their fitness levels do not drop.

"We keep up our training regimen through most of this time; our bodies would go into shock were we to lie back and do nothing," Red Bull's David Coulthard told itv-f1.com.

"I'll spend a few days relaxing with my fiancée Karen and then I'll probably go up in the mountains in Switzerland to get the benefit of training at altitude.

"I will then go back to the Red Bull factory to see how things are progressing and do some simulation work for Valencia."

Fresh from winning his maiden grand prix in Hungary, Heikki Kovalainen went home to north Finland to see his family.

But he is not about to relax completely as he looks to get on terms with his McLaren team-mate and world championship leader Lewis Hamilton.

"It's nice to go and see my people there but then it's back to business," he said.

"I think we are going to do some fitness work to push the fitness level up, to get strong, to get better, and also spend a bit of time in the factory, talking to the engineers and preparing for the next race."

Timo Glock will holiday in Los Angeles after driving a Toyota sportscar in a historic motor-racing event, while Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen joined Kovalainen in returning to his native Finland to recharge his batteries.

Others, such as Williams' Nico Rosberg and Nick Heidfeld, of BMW Sauber, are viewing the Olympics as the perfect excuse to unwind.

But the provisional 2009 calendar sees the summer break scrapped in favor of a 19th race, one more than this season.

McLaren boss Ron Dennis believes losing the lull will benefit no one.

"This break is absolutely essential for the team, mechanics and all the people who travel," he noted.

"They don't get the right amount of time with their families and this gives them an opportunity to have at least one week where they are not at the office or workshops.

"It's a key ingredient of keeping people motivated and happy when you are addressing the calendar, which makes next year's difficult for them.

"We will have to accommodate that by rotating people. They will not be expected to go right through the season."