Racket sports, a sweet tooth and go-to gyoza orders: Behind the Visor with Santiago Ramos

Santiago Ramos has made a tremendous start to the 2025 season, already claiming two victories, putting him firmly in the top 10 of the Drivers’ Championship.

But there is plenty more to the Van Amersfoort Racing driver, and he tells us all about himself in the latest edition of Behind the Visor.

“Usually when I'm not in the gym or in the simulator, I like to play tennis and padel. I am quite competitive, so I think it's one of those sports where you can be competitive and push each other.

“For me, it's nice, because you can play with friends. I also usually like to be with friends and family, but with family it is a bit difficult because they are far away, but I have a few friends in Europe.

“I mostly play padel and tennis, but sometimes I like to go for relaxing runs, just to detach myself from the phone, and racing for a bit.

“Honestly, it's more related to satisfaction and pleasure, more than keeping fit. Of course it helps, because it's sports, but I do them more to have fun and relaxing than just getting fit.

“I did play young professional tennis when I was a kid, from seven-years-old to 11. I played a few tournaments, I never won, and that's why I retired and stayed with racing.

“I just played in Mexico, in those local tennis Championships, with young kids, we were between 8 and 11 years old. I was good at the time, but I never won a tournament, I just won one match.

“I usually had the tendency to start winning the match, by a lot, like 5-0, but would end up losing the match at the end. Mentally, I was not in the right way. I started getting mad, losing points, and breaking rackets. So, I was not fit for tennis.

“With padel, it's easier to be better at padel than tennis. Tennis you need to practice a lot to stay sharp, and I don't have that much time. Whenever I play tennis, it's not that good a level, padel you can have really good matches without being that good.

“I played padel yesterday, and I am planning to play today. So, I play maybe three or four times a week.

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“I play with friends in Milan, but on a race weekend with other drivers. I think Mari Boya is the best at padel, he is really good. If I had to bet on someone to play against professionals, I would bet on him. With the F2 and F3 drivers, I am maybe top six, top eight.

“I also have to cook as I live on my own. So it’s either I cook or I die. I am honestly quite good at cooking, I cook a lot of pasta, chicken, rice, I keep it simple, but honestly, it's really good.

“I change recipes of the pasta, so I put different types of sauces that I have made by myself. Cherry tomatoes, basil, and things like that, I am usually quite good. I am a professional of cooking pasta.

“I can cook carbonara, amatriciana, ragu, arrabbiata, everything. I've lived in Milan now for three years, so I am a professional. I also know how to cook proper tacos, I am also quite good with Mexican food.

“But honestly, I just like to keep myself busy. So if I have free time, instead of resting and sitting on the bed, I prefer to go out, go and grab dinner, go and grab some lunch.

“I also like to eat sweets, I am really into sweets. So if there is a nice coffee shop with nice croissants, or pain au chocolat, something that looks nice, for sure I will go there and pick it up.

I cannot stay in one place for long, I need to be moving around.

“It’s at the point where the people in the shops know me. There is a really nice place near my apartment, they sell some nice bao buns and gyozas. I also go and I have three orders, like 24 gyozas just for myself.

“I am the only person that does that, so every time I go, they know my name, they know what I am going to order. I am usually the person that when I like something I go every day, until I get tired of it.”