The atmosphere before a Formula 1 start is always intense, with mechanics rushing around, engineers analysing the latest data, and journalists crowding the grid. The interesting fact is that the real protagonists, the drivers, stay away from the spotlight, locked inside their own bubble of concentration, because more than ever Formula 1 is becoming a mental sport.
The calendar is increasingly packed and, at the same time, spread across the globe, meaning drivers need every possible tool to make it through the season.
Lando Norris knows this well, having been labelled as “fragile” last year, but who then managed to find the right mindset to unlock his strength when it mattered most. Oscar Piastri also knows it well, who stepped out of his “iceman” shell and revealed his lack of experience at times, watching the World Championship slip from his hands and end up in the neighbouring garage. Charles Leclerc knows it too, having been under the spotlight for years as a Ferrari driver wearing the red suit.
“When you take all 22 of us on our best day, there is no difference in performance. We all have talent, otherwise we would not have made it through the junior categories. The real difference is mental, between those who can manage emotions and put them aside and be 100% focused on the lap that matters in Q3, or when you need to commit to a braking point,” said the driver speaking to Gianluca Gazzoli.
“When I was 11 years old I went to a centre in Viareggio called Formula Medicine to do mental preparation, for concentration and to control emotions in the best possible way, and it was of great benefit for my career,” added the Monegasque driver.
“Even some drivers from the previous generation were careful about this, but now there is much more awareness, and technology also helps. I used to wear a headband that told me when I was focused, when I was relaxed and so on, and this really helps you understand emotions. Having started so young, I am able to manage good and bad moments in a more rational way.”
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