Would You Rather...

This is very much why I don't think I'd enjoy racing IRL. I don't have that mindset. I'm a big baseball fan and have coached youth baseball. Everybody will take a ball to their face at some point in their baseball careers. The ballplayers field the next ball like it never happened. Normal people flinch. And, like with racing, the ones who are tentative have the most problems.

I remember seeing Lewis Hamilton's interview on Top Gear when he described his Turn 1 shunt (I think in practice with a brake failure?). Once he knew he was going in to the wall he thought, "This is going to hurt a little bit" and then got back out as soon as he could. That was a long time ago. He has never shown any hesitation in any corner since then. That's a racer's mindset. Good for you if you have it! Another example is Brundle's horrific-looking shunt where he ran back to the paddock and got in the spare car.

I was excited as I could be before I got to go out on track. After experiencing it I realized that I just don't have the mindset/balls/etc for it.

I think that it would be a great study to give everyone who responded, "Real life - it's a no-brainer" a chance to experience it and then follow up on what they thought about it. I'm sure plenty of you would volunteer for the study.

I also assume that everyone who responded "Real life - it's not even a question!" is either in or would be happy to get into and stay in the physical shape required to race. I realize that racing MX-5s doesn't require the same fitness as F1, but you can't exactly just roll out of bed and do it well either.

I think your baseball comparison is a really good one

And along the lines of the others I did 3 years of junior stockcar, 1000cc mini with bars round it, and in that time I had 4/5 what I'd call serious crashes. The first one, flying over a tyre barrier shook me a little but I was back to feeling confident within about 2 race meetings and the ones after that weren't a big issue
 
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I think your baseball comparison is a really good one
Thanks. In the pre-season meeting with the parents I'd explain to them that nobody on this team is going to get a scholarship to play baseball at Stanford or Florida State. So what are we doing here? We're learning things like teamwork and focus and bravery. I always say that catching a baseball is not a rational act. The rational thing to do is to duck. But there is something very satisfying about doing it.

I really respect people like you who can go through a shunt and get right back at it. As for me, I've been rear-ended at traffic lights a couple of times and it takes a few weeks after for me not to tense up when I see a car coming in my mirror.

I'm all for pushing myself and do it in other ways. I totally understand the joy that people find in the thrill of the competition and the danger. I can understand the famous Steve McQueen line about how "racing is life." I just can't relate to it personally.
 
Another perspective. Esports will never generate classic moments like Senna at Interlagos 1991, loses all but sixth gear, then the rain starts, amazingly he goes on to win the race. After winning, his body is wasted, he's in so much pain he can barely lift the trophy and can't stand congratulations hugs.

I know a little bit of that playing hockey tournaments here, sometimes 5-6 games in a day. At the end, sometimes your muscles won't let you unclasp your hand, or you have a limp from some pain. And it's all worth it.

Nothing but real life can bring you that experience.

 
Another perspective. Esports will never generate classic moments like Senna at Interlagos 1991, loses all but sixth gear, then the rain starts, amazingly he goes on to win the race. After winning, his body is wasted, he's in so much pain he can barely lift the trophy and can't stand congratulations hugs.

I know a little bit of that playing hockey tournaments here, sometimes 5-6 games in a day. At the end, sometimes your muscles won't let you unclasp your hand, or you have a limp from some pain. And it's all worth it.

Nothing but real life can bring you that experience.

Agree completely and I admire those who do it. But I know that, for me, it's not possible for me to do anything like that. The closest I suppose I've come was doing a half-marathon 7 years ago when I was 40. I finished it in 1:52:30 and I'm very proud of that. But once was enough for me. My body tells me "don't do that again" and general quality of life is more important to me than the satisfaction of doing something like that.
 
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Hell, I'd be happy in a regional series in an FVee or the slowest touring cars on the track. Me in the early/mid 90's. Changing a rad during a race as I had no pitcrew.
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I can only see one reason to prefer being an escort driver for the year and that being if you have a health issue that prevents you from real racing. Weird question to even ask
 
Well, my love for simracing came as a proxy for my "unfulfilled" love for live motorsports.
Also simracing is an entertaining hobby and i love it but i never cared for the "serious bussiness" that is E-sports.

So if someone offered me those 2 options i would take a gentlemans driver championship offer and have fun, no strings attached.
In addition to that i would also keep simracing on my own free time, for fun without any E-sports consideration.
 

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