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 race car driver Martin Rump’s life. He spends a large part of the year racing on tracks around the world, where split-second decisions, extreme heat in the cockpit, and constant focus put both body and mind to the test.
Against that intensity, the sauna offers something completely different: a sense of calm, a way to recover, and a chance to disconnect from everything else for a while.
Although the way Martin uses the sauna — and the reasons he steps inside — have changed over the years, one thing has stayed the same: he always feels better afterward.
Martin’s First Sauna Memory
Martin’s first sauna memory goes back to when he was six years old and his family had just moved into a new home. His parents have always loved sauna, so it was simply a natural part of family life.
Martin’s competitive side was already there as a kid, and it even showed up on the sauna bench.
“I always wanted to sit on the top bench,” Martin recalls. “Kids 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 seeing how much heat he can handle. Today, he is looking for something very different: a sense of calm and a chance to slow down.
A Good Sauna Doesn’t Need to Be Complicated
A good sauna doesn’t need to be complicated, at least according to Martin. For him, it comes down to three things: good leil (the wave of heat and steam created when water is poured over hot sauna stones), good company, and a comfortable space.
He appreciates the unique character of a wood-burning sauna, but for everyday use, he prefers the convenience of an electric sauna heater — a much better fit for his unpredictable schedule.
Martin’s own sauna ritual is just as simple. He slows his breathing, closes his eyes, and gives his thoughts time to settle.
Gentler Leil and Longer Sauna Sessions
Gentler leil and longer sauna sessions are what Martin prefers these days. When he was younger, sauna could also be about pushing himself, but now he is much more interested in a slower, more relaxed experience.
Instead of one extremely intense session, he prefers several gentler rounds, taking time in between to cool down, think, and talk with the people around him.
It is usually after the first few rounds that Martin starts to feel the tension fade and new thoughts begin 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 afterward because I can’t focus on both things at once anymore. Sauna is similar. The stronger the leil gets, the fewer thoughts you have, and the quieter your mind becomes.”
Whether he wants to completely switch off or use the sauna as quiet time to think depends on the day and how he feels.
Cooling Down is Important, but Listen to Your Body
Cooling down matters, but so does listening to your body. Martin enjoys moving between heat and cold, but he is not interested in chasing extremes.
Some of his friends enjoy staying in cold water for longer periods, but about a minute is usually enough for him. Sometimes he skips the water altogether and simply stands outside in the fresh air after the sauna.
“I do everything in a way that feels good for my body and my heart. A lot of the time, I just stand outside, and that is completely enough for me. Either way, cooling down is important.”
He also makes sure to stay hydrated, drinking 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. Recovery is an essential part of life as a professional race car driver, and motorsports demand much more than physical endurance. Drivers also need constant focus, fast reactions, and mental stamina.
“As an athlete, I see sauna mainly as a recovery tool. But for me, it is definitely not just about physical recovery. What I am really looking for is the chance to switch off from everything for a while,” Martin says.
On the track, 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 just heat, leil, and the opportunity to slow down.
A Race Car Driver Has to Know How to Handle the Heat
A race car driver has to know how to handle the heat, creating an unexpected connection between motorsports and sauna.
On hot days, the cockpit of a race car can get extremely hot. According to Martin, temperatures around 104°F (40°C) are fairly common, while conditions can sometimes reach 122–140°F (50–60°C). In the most extreme situations, he has experienced cockpit temperatures of around 158°F (70°C).
Even under those conditions, a driver still has to stay focused, react quickly, and perform physically.
“You have to be prepared to stay in that heat and still do your job behind the wheel. Being able to handle the heat is a very real part of racing,” Martin explains.
Learning to perform in 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.
“You need to be sharp when you race,” he says. After a proper sauna session, both body and mind shift into a very different state, and that is not what he wants immediately before getting behind the wheel.
For that reason, sauna works much better once the racing is done and both body and mind can start to recover.
Heat adaptation may be part of race preparation, but after a demanding endurance race, sauna is about recovery. It helps Martin close out the day, reset, and get ready for whatever comes next.
What Would a Race Car Driver’s Dream Sauna Look Like?
What would a race car driver’s dream sauna look like? If there were no limitations, Martin already has a pretty clear idea.
It would have great leil, a powerful sauna heater, a glass wall, and enough room 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 spending time with family and friends.
For his own home sauna, Martin chose a HUUM DROP heater because it offered the right balance of compact size, stone capacity, and energy use.
“DROP is compact, but it still holds enough stones to create really enjoyable, powerful leil. At the same time, I don’t need a huge amount of energy to heat the sauna. I can turn it on whenever I want. And of course, it looks great too,” 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 make its mark 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 traveling around the world, racing in different countries, and living much of his life away from Estonia. Yet sauna remains strongly connected to home.
For Martin, that may be exactly what makes it special. No matter where racing takes him, stepping into a sauna still brings him back to Estonia.
