TEDx talks are, admittedly, a bit of a crapshoot. Surprise! Here's one worth listening to. It's Flying Lizard driver Dion von Moltke explaining both how he got his start in racing as well as what it takes to make a living doing it.
Von Moltke's start in racing was a tad crashy, to say the least, but he never gave up. His turning point came after his dad asked him if he thought he was good enough to compete.
Thus, Von Moltke's story is one of changing priorities: more gym time, more seat time, and less chasin' girls.
He also has a great answer to "You're a race car driver. Why do you work out? You're just sitting there turning the wheel." It's a great first-hand account of how physically and mentally demanding driving a race car can be, and how being out of shape and out of practice can make the important difference between first and fifth place.
Naturally, the offseason is a work season for many pros. Even if you don't know who your next team will be, you have to stay on your game in case an opportunity comes up.
Flying Lizard hasn't announced their driver lineup yet, for obvious reasons. Given his description of the stresses and uncertainty of the offseason, here's hoping von Moltke finds a spot somewhere.