Opinion: Luke Smith

As opening up about mental health sheds its stigma, Formula 1 drivers are discovering that focusing on what some see as a weakness can make you stronger

“Imposter syndrome is something that is part and parcel of racing in Formula 1”

Formula 1 drivers are superheroes. They always have been, and always will be, pushing themselves and their cars to the limit week after week. But it is often forgotten that F1 drivers are also still human beings. They face emotions and challenges like the rest of us, yet do so amid the pressures of one of the most exclusive and competitive sporting series in the world.

As mental health has become more of a talking point for society as a whole in recent years, its place within racing is also coming more and more into the spotlight.

F1 has tended to operate where the requirements of competing at the pinnacle of motorsport mean that if you’re not up to the job, you’ll be replaced. The stigma surrounding mental health means that opening up can be seen as a sign of weakness, which for drivers is not something they are often willing to show, for fear of it being used to their rivals’ advantage.

“Even if you have them, I would never say so, ”said Max Verstappen. “why would you say your weakness, even if you have one? Why would you explain that? No, I would never say those kind of things.”

But some of Verstappen’s peers have been trying to change things. Daniel Ricciardo has been part of a mental health campaign within Renault, and explained the importance of having a close core group to be able to talk to, relieving some of the pressures of F1.“you sometimes might keep things close to you, you think it might be showing some weakness or whatever, ”ricciardo said. “For me, trying to stay positive and all that stuff, it’s really about the people I choose to have around me, close friends or family or whatever that you can bounce things off and talk openly.

“I put a lot of trust in people. I think it’s quite easy for me to talk to someone and be open. I don’t seem to bottle a whole lot up. But you need that outlet.

“Motorsport, for the most part, is a male-dominated sport. There’s a lot of ego and pride, and not everyone always feels OK opening up and being a bit vulnerable.”

Lando Norris has been particularly open in talking about his mental health battles upon arriving in F1, revealing during his rookie season that he had been working with a mind coach to help ease some anxiety and confidence struggles during his rise up the motorsport ladder. The pressures of his rookie season took their toll. “last year it looked like I was really confident and not nervous, and it was more that I put on a brave face, ”norris revealed. “inside I was struggling a lot. I think I just covered it up quite well last year.”

As Norris’s confidence grew and his debut season went according to plan, he stopped working with his mind coach:

“Doing it more on my own and taking my own responsibility for it was part of the growth that I needed.”

He’s found ways to properly manage his confidence battles, citing his video game streaming as a fun outlet that helps him switch off from the pressures of F1. And his on-track performances this year have been among the best on the grid. He is now in a stronger place.

Imposter syndrome is something that is part and parcel of racing in F1, given the comparisons between every driver on the grid in the competition for wins, podiums and even race seats.

“It’s something that I struggled a lot with, especially before going into Formula 1, and during last year,” norris said. “the belief of if I’ve got what it takes, and what do I think comparing to my teammate or comparing to other drivers, obviously always comparing against other people – that’s the thing that screws with your head sometimes. It’s something that is very tough to deal with, self-belief and everything like that. There are a lot of things that I’ve struggled with over the past few years and growing up.

“Not everyone wants to talk about it all the time, but it’s something that I’ve struggled with. I’m sure many other drivers have thought about and struggled with it over the past.”

As Ricciardo mentioned, the ego-driven, often machismo heavy nature of F1 means signs of vulnerability are taken as a weakness. It creates a toxicity that is hardly healthy for the paddock environment.

But things are changing. Not only are drivers now talking more openly about the mental pressures of racing in F1, but teams are also embarking on more programmes to support their workforce in a bid to get the very best out of them. Mclaren also has a partnership with mental health charity Mind.

“You want the best performance out of everyone, how to put everyone in their best position and their most comfortable position to perform, ”added Norris. “more and more F1 teams, and we are as a team, Mclaren, are taking more and more recognition to these kind of things, and raising awareness of it.”

The ‘new generation’ of F1 drivers has been refreshing for so many reasons, but their willingness to open up more and talk about mental health is so important. It will hopefully create lasting change that can be felt throughout the paddock, and make the often cut-throat world of F1 become more understanding.