Transition to Retirement in Formula One: What Happens After the Prime Time?
Formula One is taking steps towards their goals of reaching net zero by 2030. In the age of transition and awareness, they are attempting to meet the needs of this new era. While the questions of what goes onto the grid and how sustainably it gets there gain importance day by day, still other issues of sustainability receive little attention. The topic of sustainability is interdisciplinary. It is beyond electric vehicles and biodegradable packaging. It is beyond clean fuels and recyclable tires. It is also about who you have on the grid, how they got there and where they go next. It is about people, inclusivity, diversity and decency.
The main goal of sustainability is to reduce or compensate for the negative consequences of operation while continuing the core function of what makes the sport enjoyable. This includes the consequences for stakeholders and personnel during and after their tenure. Specifically of concern to this article, how do Formula One drivers transition into retirement? After devoting every minute of every day to the sport for almost half of their lives, what do racing drivers do with the other half once they retire? How and when do they retire? What are the common career paths after retirement? How to sustain their moral and mental well-being during the transition process?
Sports is among the few industries in which professionals earn most of their income early in their careers. This puts more pressure on them to make sure that their wealth lasts for a long time, or even for their lifetime. Not all racing drivers carry this conscious burden at all times, yet, before they reach an age at which their abilities begin to decline, they strive to reach a point of fame, success, skills or financial security to support them after their retirement. Then, they often use their status as a fast-track into a career within sports such as coaching and commentating, or they must find a new path but without a lot of relevant experience.
When it comes to motorsports, especially Formula One, the concept of retirement is a bit different compared to other sports. The average retirement age of drivers is tempered by the fact that they keep on racing even after they have left Formula One. Additionally, the majority of Formula One drivers do not leave the sport by choice but rather because contracts expire or the team chooses someone else. We see numerous cases of returning to the grid after a few years such as Niki Lauda, Kimi Raikkonen or Fernando Alonso. It is therefore questionable what should be considered "retirement".
After a driver leaves Formula One, they have a variety of options for their future. The top three post-Formula One career categories are broadcasting, team or driver management and racing in other series. Broadcasting is an option many drivers choose after retiring from Formula One. Former Formula One world champions Jenson Button and Damon Hill are in the crew of Sky Sports’ commentary and expert opinion; Nico Rosberg has his own YouTube channel; Mika Häkkinen recently started an analyst role for the sports broadcaster Viaplay; and Mark Webber is a Red Bull Ambassador and a TV pundit for Channel 4's Formula One coverage to name but a few examples.
Left to right: Simon Lazenby, Martin Brundle and Nico Rosberg presenting for Sky Sports at the 2019 Bahrain Grand Prix.
Some retired Formula One racers may also be willing to coach aspiring racers. They can share their knowledge and experiences with the next generation. Keke Rosberg who managed Mika Häkkinen was one of the major examples of how coaching can be rewarding for retired Formula One racers who wish to remain involved in the sport. As for the team's side of management, think of former driver Alain Prost who got involved with the senior team management of Renault. In 1993, Luca di Montezemolo, President of Ferrari, hired Niki Lauda as a strategic advisor to bring the Formula One team back to being a top contender. Their notable contributions to the sport show how important it can be for teams or drivers to have someone familiar with the sport at the helm when making key decisions about its future direction and success.
Racing in other series is also a popular post-retirement destination for Formula One drivers looking to stay involved in motorsports beyond their time in grand prix racing. Examples include Jenson Button who raced in Japan's Super GT Series following his retirement from Formula One, or Kimi Raikkonen who went on to compete in NASCAR Truck Series. These are just two examples of how some former Formula One world champions continue competing even after leaving their days of major-league glory behind.
Starting companies, becoming ambassadors, and establishing brand partnerships are among other options that Formula One drivers have for additional revenue even before they retire. On the 2023 grid, there is a high chance of Yuki Tsunoda starting his own restaurant chain or Charles Leclerc anchoring his place in Spotify Top Tracks Charts in the upcoming years. As world-class athletes with incredible networks and savings, finding a career is not exactly the issue. The issue is to manage this transition both mentally and sustainably.
‘F1 Tracks: Charles Leclerc’, a playlist by F1 on Spotify
Whatever their post-retirement career choice is, drivers are faced with the task of finding a new way to spend the rest of their lives. It is not a decision that can be made easily, considering several main factors that distinguish Formula One drivers from the rest of us.
First of all, the high-adrenaline environment of professional racing can become addictive, and removing that stimulation can lead to feelings of emptiness, withdrawal or disassociation from reality. This feeling is further intensified by the fact that most drivers have dedicated their entire lives to motorsport; foregoing higher education or job experience in other fields which leaves them without options when they retire from driving. Up until the point of retirement, Formula One drivers may not realize how different their lives are from the norm as they are surrounded by people within the racing world and the majority have racing drivers in their families as well. When they leave the bubble of adrenaline, they get introduced to the concerns of laypeople.
Furthermore, drivers have very little control over retirement especially when they are forced into retirement due to an injury, non-renewal of contracts or age-related decline in performance. This sudden loss of control over their future can be particularly difficult as it forces them into unfamiliar circumstances after years spent with planning, discipline, structure and purpose-built through racing. Additionally, there is often a sense of loneliness that comes with retirement as drivers are no longer part of the close-knit community within Formula One which can lead to feelings of isolation from their peers and an inability to adjust back into everyday life outside the sport. Finally, there may also be anxiety-related symptoms such as fear about what will come next or rumination about prior regrets which all contribute towards making this transition harder for the group.
Although it's sad to see our favourite racers retire, every good thing must come to an end. While they are going through the inevitable, there are a few steps that can be taken to make the transition to retirement easier.
Firstly, it is important to ensure they have access to support and therapy either through an existing team or an independent provider to help them process their feelings and manage any anxieties they might experience during this period. Providing career advice and guidance on alternative avenues within motorsport such as commentating or driving instruction could also be beneficial in helping them adjust back into everyday life outside of racing. This is one of the reasons why careers such as consulting or broadcasting are quite popular among retired Formula One drivers. Additionally, seeking out new hobbies and activities which stimulate the same adrenaline rush as racing can also help manage withdrawal symptoms from the high-adrenaline environment of Formula One.
After all, retiring from Formula One is a difficult process for drivers due to the many factors that differentiate them from their non-athlete peers. Although there are several options available for post-racing careers, it is important to ensure they have access to adequate support and guidance to sustain and manage the transition easier. Further analysis could explore how Formula One teams can better prepare their drivers mentally and emotionally for retirement or investigate how career choices after retirement affect a driver’s well-being.
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You can find the author Öykü Ceylan on LinkedIn or contact the editor Benjamin Mole at: benmole@sustainingsport.com.
