Why Do Race Car Drivers Retire So Early?
Retirement is a reality for most people who work regular jobs. After decades of working, people typically retire in their 50s or 60s and enjoy their golden years in whatever way they want. However, retirement doesn’t work that way for race car drivers who do so much sooner in life.
Racecar drivers typically retire earlier in life and for non-age related reasons. For example, they might retire when their contract expires. Besides that, some retire when they lose their edge or can’t cope with the physical demands of motorsports. Some also quit while they’re ahead and retire to avoid long-term injuries and enjoy their wealth safely.
In this article, we’ll take a peek into what retirement is like for high-performance race car drivers and why it tends to happen earlier in their lives compared to people in other careers.
Let’s get to it!
At What Age Do Racing Drivers Retire?
Racecar drivers retire at a wide range of different ages. Still, one thing’s for sure, most of them do not retire after the age of 50 as people with regular jobs do.
For example, many F1 and NASCAR drivers are known to retire by their late 30s or early 40s for a wide range of different reasons. For instance, world-famous F1 driver Michael Schumacher retired in 2012 at 43.
Nico Rosberg, another F1 driver, retired at the very young age of 31. He had attained his goal of becoming a world champion driver and chose to walk away voluntarily.
Yet, some racing drivers also continue to compete well into their 50s, 60s, and even 90s! A perfect example of this is professional stock car race driver Hershel McGriff who continued to race even at age 90.
With all of that said, it’s essential to know that many motorsports do not place a maximum age limit for their drivers. So sure, you have to be past a certain age to start, but they won’t force you into retirement for being too old.
5 Reasons Why Race Car Drivers Retire Early
Racecar drivers don’t necessarily retire because of old age.
Instead of that, here are 5 reasons why race car drivers choose to walk away from motorsports.
End Of Contract
The first reason race car drivers retire early is that their contract expires. When drivers join a team, they sign a contract that details their responsibilities and how much they’ll earn. Like any other contract, theirs will also include an end date.
When that end date approaches, the team might renew the contract and continue working with the same driver, or they could simply let it end.
For instance, the race team might choose not to renew the driver’s contract and instead switch to a younger driver with a lower salary.
When that happens, the driver can try to join another race team. However, many choose to retire from motorsports entirely.
Losing Their Edge
The life of a high-performing race car driver is an extremely demanding one. Drivers must have fast reflexes, physical stamina, and a long list of other skills and abilities to compete with others on the track.
Unfortunately, many of those skills and abilities start to fade away with age. Many race car drivers recognise when they begin to lose their edge, so they choose to retire while they’re ahead.
Instead of competing at a lower level of performance and losing their status, many drivers choose to retire and move on to other life pursuits. In doing so, they maintain their status and reputation as champions.
Too Physically Challenging
Unfortunately, age doesn’t just cause race drivers to lose their edge in terms of their skills and abilities. As drivers get older, they gradually lose their ability to cope with the extreme physical demands of competing in motorsports.
Remember: motorsports drivers require lots of physical stamina and strength to succeed in what they do.
Their bodies experience high levels of stress when operating race vehicles, especially for extended periods. However, the reality is that younger drivers can cope and recover from those challenges better than their older counterparts.
To Avoid Risk Of Injury
Drivers are only human. As they age, they become increasingly risk-averse and prefer to avoid the injury risks associated with motorsports. That’s especially true when they have other motivations to stay safe and healthy, like starting their own families and having children.
Besides that, race car drivers also become increasingly aware of the long-term injury risks associated with their sport. Of course, younger drivers might not be too concerned with that at first. Still, after many years of being on the job, older drivers better understand those risks.
Many race car drivers choose to avoid injuries by retiring from working as competitive drivers at some point in their careers. In doing so, they get to leave the sport on their terms instead of being forced out by injury.
When they’ve reached that stage in their lives, safer motorsports roles undoubtedly become much more attractive to them.
To Enjoy Their Wealth Safely
High-performing race car drivers often amass lots of wealth at the peak of their careers. So, somewhat related to the previous point, some drivers choose to retire early to enjoy their wealth safely.
After all, what’s the point of being a world champion if you’re injured and can’t enjoy everything you’ve worked so hard to achieve?
What Do Race Drivers Do After They Retire?
In short, retired race car drivers can do whatever they want after retiring. However, many of them remain involved in the world of motorsports, albeit in behind-the-scenes roles.
For instance, some retired drivers advise or coach race teams, while others start their own automotive businesses. Finally, some decide to come out of retirement and continue racing several years later.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some other frequently asked questions (FAQs) about retiring race car drivers:
Is There A Maximum Age Limit For Race Car Drivers?
Typically, there are only minimum age requirements for race car drivers, not maximum limits. However, that’s subject to the rules of the motorsports league in question. Many of them do not place age limits on team drivers.
What Is The Average Age Of An F1 Driver?
In the 2019 season, the average age for F1 drivers was 26.
What Is The Average Retirement Age For F1 Drivers?
F1 drivers typically retire in their late 30s, but that’s just an average. Some have retired in their early 30s, while others have retired beyond their 40s. F1 does not have maximum age restrictions, so drivers retire at various ages for non-age related reasons.