McLaren driver Lando Norris has opened up about the fear he encounters during racing in Formula 1.
He recognises the difference between virtual racing on a simulator, and racing the car on a track at breakneck speeds, especially at circuits such as Monaco, where the twisting streets and metal barriers serve as a constant reminder of such fear.
“Some drivers say there’s no fear,” Norris spoke to Reuters.
“For me there is fear. I fear death. I fear injury. I fear big crashes.
“I do fear all that stuff. Maybe I’m more human than some of the other drivers. But it’s just a fear. It’s not like I don’t want to go out and drive.
“I can manage it well but if you go to Monaco or something, fear can kick in a much bigger way. There’s no room for error. If you crash, generally it’s quite a big crash.
“Those two things you never get in the simulator; G-force and fear. You don’t care if you crash or hit the barrier, there’s no consequence for it.”
Norris has been able to combat this fear well to qualify in the top 10 at three Grand Prix, and finished 12th in FP2 at Monaco this weekend.
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