No sport has more high-octane excitement, the need for complete mental clarity to negotiate life-threatening decisions and the stones to make such calculating risks. It’s certainly not for the fainthearted and when a split-second decision can change so much, it’s no wonder that poker continues to bring in the fans.
And where there’s adrenaline flowing, you can bet that Formula 1 drivers will never be too far from the action. Many are keen card players and just like on the track, safety is paramount. They choose to play at safe online casinos as safe casinos are the safety barrier of poker. But just which drivers are the biggest Hold’em fans? We’re here to find out.
Poker and F1; Worlds apart?
Yes, the two don’t automatically go hand-in-hand but the amount of money that F1 generates does come with its share of glitz and glamour. None more so than the Monaco Grand Prix whose city is nearly as famous for its racetrack as its casino night life. Poker may not be in the same category for those residents of Monaco as the average Joe, but the casinos of the Cote d’Azur sure do offer some elegant Hold’em tables that many F1 drivers can’t keep their hands off.
From Lewis Hamilton to Fernando Alonso to Kimi Raikkonen, they have all had their share of celebrity status and famous parties go part-and-parcel with their lifestyle. As poker and gambling have always maintained their glamorous identity, many drivers have not only adopted the game as a favourite past time, but some have also even made it a decent sub-career.
The Importance of Safe Casinos with High Payouts
Just like on the racetrack, where countless of dollars are spent ensuring that the driver’s safety is the priority, ensuring you only play at safe and trusted high payout casino when online is important. Whilst many of us average Joe’s lack the funding of F1’s elite drivers, playing at a licensed casino with high payouts should be the first step in choosing your next site to play.
Whilst licenses ensure that your gaming is regulated, high-paying casinos failing to offer this protection should be seen as missing a vital part of their engine. Playing poker online, especially when taking the use of a live dealer casino, utilises the convenience of not having to leave your house with all the excitement of a Grand Prix win.
So, the next time you look for your next poker or casino site, if it doesn’t carry that seal of approval of a license as well as the best payout rates on the market, give it a miss. Schumacher has always been one to take risks, but only calculated ones, and we’re sure he would value his online safety, too.
F1 Drivers with a Penchant for Poker
Michael Schumacher
The absolute legend of the sport needs no introduction to 99% of the world. Before his crippling ski-accident, his 91 Grand Prix wins and 7 World Championships (including 5 consecutive wins) saw him the undisputed king of F1. No one has done more for Ferrari, or F1 for that matter, as this man and although his reign may be over, his legacy will forever live on.
Anyway, apart from his love for driving, Schumacher also holds a passion for poker. Spotted with cards in hand in the company of other poker fans in the F1 circuit, he has attended many charity poker events to raise money for the less fortunate. Choosing poker to pass the time between races may be a strategic decision on his part; keeping his brain clicking and his focus on a knife edge may have helped his domination of the sport.
Jaime Alguersuari
The young Spaniard may not be the most prolific drivers around, but he became the youngest driver to start a Formula One Grand Prix in 2009 at the age of just 19 years. Whilst racing for Toro Rosso, he had limited success between 2009-2011 before shifting to Formula E. He had previously won the title of British Formula 3 champion in 2008, but in 2015 retired from motorsport to concentrate on his second love, being a DJ.
In his younger days, he was quickly snapped up by partypoker.com in their bid to try and entice a younger generation of online poker players. Following in the footsteps of rival Italian Giancarlo Fisichella, he was seen as Spain’s ambassador for the table and the future of F1 drivers in poker. But will this be the last we see of Mr. Alguesari?
Giancarlo Fisichella
Fisichella finished fourth in the 2006 World Drivers Championship which was his top F1 highlight. Driving for 6 different teams over his two decades behind the wheel, including Ferrari, Jordan and Renault, he has three wins to his credit (including his 2003 debut at the Brazilian Grand Prix) and four pole starts in his 200 plus races.
But as far as poker is concerned, he may be the best driver to ever handle the cards. In 2009 he became the first driver to represent any poker team, as partypoker.com employed his services, to help publicise online games. The Italian also headlined a televised F1 driver poker competition in his native Italy that included Eddie Irvine, Tonio Liuzzi and Robert Kubica. However, Nico Rosenberg took the pot that night.
