By Joe Morin | May 27, 2026
To the outside world, it can seem difficult to understand why racecar drivers willingly strap themselves into machines capable of reaching breathtaking speeds, knowing full well the physical danger, mental pressure, and relentless demands that come with motorsport. Why would anyone choose a life where a fraction of a second can mean the difference between victory and defeat — or sometimes far worse?
The answer is simple, yet deeply complex: racecar drivers race because it is part of who they are.
For many drivers, racing begins as a childhood obsession. Long before they ever sit in a professional cockpit, they are captivated by speed, competition, and the challenge of mastering a machine. Whether it starts in karting, watching legends like Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, or Gilles Villeneuve, or simply falling in love with the sound and spectacle of motorsport, the desire to race becomes more than a hobby. It becomes a calling.
At its core, racing is about competition. Drivers are wired differently. They possess an almost obsessive need to test themselves against others and against their own limits. Every lap is a challenge to brake later, turn sharper, accelerate earlier, and extract just a little more performance than anyone else. It is one of the purest forms of competition because there are no shortcuts. The stopwatch tells the truth.
Racecar drivers also race for the thrill that few other experiences can replicate. The sensation of controlling a car at the edge of grip, balancing precision with aggression, and threading through corners at impossible speeds creates an adrenaline rush unlike anything else. It is a feeling many drivers describe as complete focus — a state where everything else disappears except the car, the circuit, and the moment.
There is also the pursuit of mastery.
Racing is not merely about driving at high speeds. It is a craft that demands extraordinary discipline. Drivers dedicate years to perfecting racecraft, fitness, technical understanding, and mental resilience. They race because there is always another level to achieve, another skill to refine, another perfect lap to pursue. The pursuit is endless, and that challenge is what keeps them returning.
For some, racing is about legacy. Motorsport history is filled with names that transcended the sport itself, from Juan Manuel Fangio to Lewis Hamilton. Drivers race because they want to leave their mark, prove their belonging among the greats, and be remembered for achieving something extraordinary.
However, beyond trophies, records, and fame, most racecar drivers race because they cannot imagine doing anything else.
It is not just a profession; it is an identity.
The hours of training, the sacrifices, the risk, the heartbreak of defeat, and the pressure of expectation are all outweighed by the one thing that makes it worthwhile: the moment the lights go out, the engine roars, and instinct takes over.
That is why racecar drivers race.
Because for them, racing is not just something they do. It is who they are.
Joe Morin is a regular contributor to The Sidearmer, specialising in Formula One coverage. He has been following Formula One and other forms of racing for over 30 years. He has even competed in the now-defunct Canadian Karting Championship, finishing second overall in 2008. This gives him a driver’s perspective, complemented by an analyst approach. Morin also has experience in podcasting, having worked behind the microphone for over ten years and as a video and audio editor for The Gorilla Position and Turnbuckle Studios.
