The Pacific Coast Highway

From my home in Los Angeles, the coastal road takes you past Big Sur and its beautiful cliffs up to Monterey, which for seven days of the year turns into a car enthusiast’s heaven with the Monterey Car Week, where you’ll see the most desirable classics parked next to the latest hypercars. This highway is perfect when the sun’s out, which is pretty much all the time in California! It’s a lovely drive with the windows down, soaking up the ocean breeze.

Car of choice: Singer Classic Porsche
Soundtrack: Over the Hills and Far Away by Led Zeppelin

 
Take off to Los Angeles 

Monaco GP track

One of the very best places to win in a Formula One car. Most other F1 tracks have been adjusted to newer cars or to try adding to the spectacle, but Monaco can’t change because it is the city. You can push the barriers out slightly, but you’re definitely more on edge in Monaco – it’s one to build up to. When you push an F1 car to its limit, it feels great, but when you’re millimetres from touching a barrier, it’s even more of a rush. And it’s a lot more undulating than it looks on TV. From Turn 1 up the hill to Casino Square, it really does climb. I’ve tried running up it and it is tough. It’s still crazy to think we hit more than 180mph on those Monaco streets.

Car of choice: Single Brawn BGP 001
Soundtrack: The Mercedes V8 revving to 18,000rpm

Take off to Monaco 

Stelvio Pass, Italy

Now this is a beautiful drive. If you want a road that allows for a smooth, fast and flowing ride, then this is not it. It’s hairpin bend after hairpin bend from the top of the mountain. I did it in an open-top C-type, which was so much more fun than a modern car. Plus, having no roof meant unobstructed views of the mountain scenery. Definitely a drive for the bucket list.

Car of choice: C-type Jaguar
Soundtrack: Delirious by Prince

Take off to Italy 

Great Ocean Road, Australia

I like to cycle this scenic route but, whichever way you do it, the stunning scenery is the same – beaches, cliffs, and even rainforest if you travel far enough. Cycling this road was part of my training before the Melbourne Grand Prix (it’s good for building up lactic acid), but also just a great journey with friends. Drivers travel around the world but so often don’t see anything, besides airports, the inside of a hotel room and the circuit, so Australia is perfect for a dose of the great outdoors. We wouldn’t do anything less than three hours’ long, grabbing a couple of coffees along the way.

Bike of choice: Factor One Disc road bike
Soundtrack: Chit-chat from fellow cyclists

Take off to Australia 

Baja 100

The craziest race on Earth! I had a lot of hairy moments on this track last year, but that’s what the Baja 100 is all about. At one point, we slipped down a cliff, and I still have no idea how we fought our way back up, though the truck’s 500hp, 40-inch tyres and suspension certainly helped. Last year was particularly tough because of the rain: these trucks are amazing in the sand and dirt but, as soon as there’s water, they just float. Plus, the terrain changes every five minutes, from mountainous to open planes to eight-foot-high rollers. It’s pretty lawless, but an absolute blast.

Car of choice: Mason Spec Trophy Truck
Soundtrack: Bulls on Parade by Rage Against the Machine

Take off to Mexico