04.09.2026
Speed on the track, peace in the sauna: Martin Rump’s sauna ritual
Speed on the track, peace in the sauna sums up the contrast that defines much of racing driver Martin Rump’s life. He spends a large part of the year competing on tracks around the world, where split-second decisions, high temperatures in the cockpit and constant concentration put both body and mind to the test.
Against that intensity, the sauna offers something completely different: calm, recovery and a chance to disconnect from everything else for a while.
Although the way Martin uses the sauna and the reasons he goes have changed over the years, one thing has remained the same: he always feels better afterwards.
Martin’s first sauna memory
Martin’s first sauna memory takes him back to when he was six years old and his family had just moved into a new home. His parents have always been sauna people, so sauna was simply a natural part of family life.
Martin’s competitive streak was already there as a child, and it even showed on the sauna bench.
“I always wanted to sit on the top bench,” Martin recalls. “Children are usually told to stay on the lower bench, but I always wanted to sit up top. If it got too hot, I’d move down for the next round.”
As an adult, sauna is no longer about testing how long he can handle the heat. Today, he is mainly looking for calm and a chance to slow down.
A good sauna does not need to be complicated
A good sauna does not need to be complicated, at least not according to Martin. For him, it comes down to three things: good steam, good company and a comfortable interior.
He appreciates the special character of a wood-burning sauna, but in everyday life he prefers the convenience of an electric sauna heater, which fits much better with his unpredictable schedule.
Martin’s own sauna ritual is equally simple. He breathes slowly, closes his eyes and gives his thoughts a chance to settle.
Gentler steam and longer sauna sessions
Gentler steam and longer sauna sessions are what Martin prefers today. When he was younger, sauna could also be about challenging himself, but now he is more interested in a slower and more relaxed experience.
Instead of one extremely intense session, he prefers several gentler sauna rounds, with time in between to cool down, think and talk with the people around him.
It is usually after the first few rounds that Martin begins to feel the tension disappear and new thoughts start to surface.
When describing what happens during a more intense sauna session, Martin compares it to training.
“I like doing long training sessions while listening to an audiobook. But when the workout gets more intense, I have to pause the book or rewind it afterwards because I can no longer think about both things at once. Sauna is similar. The stronger the steam gets, the fewer thoughts you have and the emptier your mind becomes.”
Whether he wants to switch his mind off completely or use the sauna as quiet thinking time depends on the day and how he feels.
Cooling down is important, but listen to your body
Cooling down is important, but listening to your body matters just as much. Martin enjoys alternating between heat and cold, but he does not chase extremes.
While some of his friends enjoy spending longer periods in cold water, around a minute is often enough for him. Sometimes he skips the water altogether and simply enjoys standing outside in the fresh air after the sauna.
“I do everything in a way that feels good for my body and my heart. Quite often, I just stand outside and that is completely enough for me. Either way, cooling down is important.”
He also makes sure to stay hydrated and drinks plenty of water between sauna rounds.
For Martin, sauna is not about setting records or pushing his limits. It is about paying attention to how his body feels.
As an athlete, Martin uses sauna primarily for recovery
As an athlete, Martin uses sauna primarily for recovery, because recovery is an essential part of a professional racing driver’s work. Motorsport demands not only physical effort, but also constant concentration, fast reactions and mental endurance.
“As an athlete, I see sauna mainly as a recovery tool. But for me, it is definitely not only about physical recovery. Being able to switch off from everything for a while is actually what I am looking for,” Martin says.
On the racetrack, fractions of a second matter. A driver has to react quickly and stay alert at all times.
In the sauna, Martin can leave that mindset behind for a while. There is nowhere he needs to rush. There is simply heat, steam and the opportunity to slow down.
A racing driver has to know how to handle the heat
A racing driver has to know how to handle the heat, which creates an unexpected connection between motorsport and sauna.
On hot days, the cockpit of a race car can become extremely warm. According to Martin, temperatures of around 40°C are fairly common, while conditions can sometimes reach 50–60°C. In the most extreme situations, he has experienced cockpit temperatures of around 70°C.
Even in those conditions, a driver still has to maintain concentration, reaction speed and physical performance.
“You have to be prepared to stay in that heat and still do your job behind the wheel. Heat tolerance is a very real part of racing,” Martin explains.
Learning to cope with high temperatures is therefore part of preparing for competition.
Sauna before or after a race?
Sauna before or after a race? For Martin, the answer is clear: after.
“Sharpness is important in racing,” he says. After a proper sauna session, both body and mind enter a very different state, and that is not something he is looking for immediately before a race.
For that reason, sauna works better after the effort is over, when the racing is done and both body and mind can begin to recover.
Adapting to heat may be part of race preparation, but after a long endurance race, sauna is about recovery. It helps Martin bring the day to a close, reset and prepare for whatever comes next.
What would a racing driver’s dream sauna look like?
What would a racing driver’s dream sauna look like? If there were no limitations, Martin already has a fairly clear idea.
It would have great steam, a powerful sauna heater, a glass wall and enough space to enjoy the sauna with a larger group of people.
Although sauna gives Martin a chance to spend time with his own thoughts, the social side matters just as much. Sauna is also about sharing time with family and friends.
For his own home sauna, Martin chose a HUUM DROP heater because it offered the right balance between compact size, stone capacity and energy use.
“DROP is compact, but it still has enough stones to create really enjoyable and powerful steam. At the same time, I do not need a huge amount of energy to heat the sauna. I can start it whenever I want. And it looks stylish too, of course,” Martin says.
His answer to the question “Why HUUM?” comes just as quickly.
“Because HUUM is Estonian.”
For Martin, there is something special about coming across HUUM outside Estonia and seeing an Estonian brand finding its place in different parts of the world.
What makes Estonian sauna special is the feeling of home
What makes Estonian sauna special is the feeling of home. When Martin is asked what sets the Estonian sauna experience apart, he does not need a long answer.
He has spent years travelling around the world, racing in different countries and living much of his life away from Estonia. Yet sauna remains strongly connected with home.
For Martin, that may be what makes it special. No matter how far the racetrack takes him, stepping into a sauna still brings him back to Estonia.
