Why I Race.
'Never, ever give up' is the mantra that stands with me each day of my career. Through the ups and downs, the roller-coaster of life and motorsports in particular, the one constant is that everything changes. You’re not in control of these changes, these variables, but it’s how you respond to them that defines you as a person.
Growing up in California, Formula 1 was not your typical American dream. Moving to Europe at 17 years old, I followed my passion and the belief; facing the odds of man, politics and machine. I raced at every level and in every series possible; winning, losing, winning again – all the while building a solid foundation made from a mountain of experiences and incredible relationships. The dream is and always was very much alive, even in the face of adversity.
Dreams become all the more vivid when you dig deep to make them a reality. This is what makes them that much more special, driving us to find that gut-wrenching determination to succeed and inspiration to take chances, re-define expectations and to fight for what we want most. Racing is my life. Helmet on, visor down; thought creator, mystery maker, dream invader.
Silence.
Then all the color you could possibly imagine.
For me, driving and my ambition to succeed has always been about pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Always testing myself, pushing myself, pushing the limits of what’s achievable, how far you can go with the machine that’s become a part of you; intrinsically interlinked, instinctively synced. And then finding more.
So, what does it feel like to be at the limit?
It's very peaceful, actually. You no longer really think much about driving; you think about the things that are around you, and you think about what's happening in the race. You think about your strategy, you think about other people's strategy, you think about the options available to you, and really the driving becomes subliminal, second nature, and that's when I feel I'm performing at my best. In a race car everything happens at such high speed that, if you’re solely operating at a conscious level, you’ll be too slow to react. It’s more then just instinct.
You know, as a driver, if you can get into that frame of mind - we've all heard of "the zone" or that kind of subconscious state - that’s when you unlock the potential to perform at your best. It opens your mind up to the other aspects of the race, how to accomplish your goals and re-define the boundaries of what you can achieve.
Then, you are truly limitless.
