In this month's F1 Racing, there's a small interview with Scott Speed. I've never really been a fan, although I don't particularly have anything against the guy either.

He's notable in my book for his in-car radio transmission saying "Somebody's heads gonna roll." I'm sure I'm not the only one who picks him out as the tantrum throwing driver of the grid.

Anyway, the story was actually very revealing. In 2003, Speed was diagnosed with a condition called ulcerative colitis [Wikipedia link, beware gross pictures], which I've never heard of but appears to be as bad as it sounds. Nutrient loss, uncontrollable bleeding and poor bowel control are just some of the unpleasant side effects. Because of this, Speed got away with "wearing a diaper" whilst he raced, but eventually he was faced with giving up the sport he loved.

Instead of taking the easy option of quitting racing and having the treatment that could have saved his life, Speed decided to continue racing and try anything to find another way of treating his condition.

He met a new doctor and became a guinea pig for a new way of battling the condition and eventually, it began to work. From what I can tell of the story, the condition is now controlled, but every time he races, he's literally shortening his life. That's some kind of dedication for you, but also shows how addictive racing can really be.

It makes you stop and think.

For more information on ulcerative colitis, visit www.scottspeed.com or www.ccfa.org.