Michael Fassbender reflects on 4-year hiatus from film to focus on motorsport: ‘It’s an obsession’

Michael Fassbender has reflected on his four-year hiatus from the big screen to focus on endurance motor racing.

The Irish-German actor, 46, has just marked his return to film in David Fincher’s hitman thriller The Killer, having last starred as Magneto in 2019’s superhero flick, X-Men: Dark Phoenix.

During his time away from the camera, the Oscar-nominated star turned his attention to motor racing, a passion of his since he was a child, after meeting fellow actor and motorsport enthusiast Patrick Dempsey on a flight to Los Angeles.

After three years of preparation, the Frank actor first tackled the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2022 – and inadvertently became entangled in several accidents, leaving any hope of winning the race in tatters.

Despite the setback, he returned to Circuit de la Sarthe this June with German team Proton Competition in a Porsche 911 and captured his journey for his documentary, Road to Le Mans.

However, Fassbender suffered another setback when he careered into a barrier and the car was forced to be retired.

However, Fassbender is hoping for third time lucky as he admitted to Graham Norton he wants to participate in the race again, describing it as “an obsession”.

Appearing on Friday’s The Graham Norton Show, he shared: “It’s an obsession and feels so right as I have no affinity with any other sport.

“I am super addicted, and I want to go back and do Le Mans again – it was extraordinary.

“It’s not just about the speed, it is about getting into a place where you’re not thinking of anything else. I love it.”

Other guests on this week’s instalment include Jennifer Saunders, Daisy Haggard, comic Phil Wang and Take That, who perform live in the studio.

The Graham Norton Show, BBC One, Friday 24th November 10.40pm. Also available on BBC iPlayer.