Given the 'crossover' nature of their immense driving talent, it's no huge surprise when retired F1 drivers try their hand at other racing disciplines.

Le Mans, Indy 500, NASCAR, touring cars - those are just some of the options available to drivers when they decide to hang up their helmets.

But sailboat racing? That's the immediate future for Sebastian Vettel, a Formula One legend who made a habit of doing things his own way.

Vettel has invested in the Germany SailGP team, and while it's not thought that he will be on deck racing the boats, he will have a considerable role in improving the performance of the team.

That's certainly a left-field post-F1 career choice...

To the Future

Despite his age, Max Verstappen has already got one eye on retirement. He has admitted that the rigours of touring life and the physical sacrifices that an F1 driver has to make could see him walking away from the sport when his Red Bull contract expires in 2028.

Motivation, or a lack of it, could also prove to be a factor for Verstappen, who is already as short as 1/18 in the odds on F1 to win a third consecutive championship after just six races of the season. His nearest rival, Sergio Perez, is a mammoth 16/1.

Matching or bettering the seven world titles claimed by Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton may be enough to keep Verstappen behind the wheel for longer, but he has already confirmed an intention to explore other avenues in racing. "I want to do other things, other competitions. A bit like Fernando (Alonso) did," the Dutchman has said.

New Horizons

Alonso has competed in Indianapolis 500 and Le Mans, which he has won twice, and these races are particularly popular with former F1 drivers - the Spaniard has, of course, since returned to the sport with Aston Martin.

The lure of Formula One sees some former drivers return as advisers, commentators or even team owners, but for many it's the adrenaline rush that comes from being behind the wheel of a super-fast vehicle that propels their post-F1 careers.

Nigel Mansell became a successful touring car driver, the likes of Jacky Ickx, Derek Bell and Sebastien Buemi have become some of the most prolific winners of Le Mans and Emerson Fittipaldi, Juan Pablo Montoya and Takuma Sato have racked up six Indy 500 victories between them.

And then there are the more unconventional career choices. Niki Lauda, of course, trained to become an airline pilot, setting up his supremely successful Lauda Air company in 1979. He personally flew many of the firm's early charter and air taxi services.

Jody Scheckter, the 1979 drivers' champion with Ferrari, went even further off-piste by setting up his own firearms training company. FATS - Firearms Training Services - used lasers rather than real ammunition and would go on to become a multi-million-pound business.

Stefan Johansson, who enjoyed a 13-year career in F1 before going on to win Le Mans, is now a renowned artist with his own online store.

From politics to property development and fishing to DJ'ing, many former Formula One drivers have found their own niche during life off the grid. It will be interesting to see if Vettel can emulate his F1 successes out on the open ocean.