You obviously haven't read many older driver memoirs. Racing became big after WWII precisely because an entire generation of young men missed the thrill they had experienced in war. Naturally they weren't seeking death but danger was definitely part of the attraction for them. And I truly believe that the fact that they actually risked their lives made them the sporting heroes that attracted the fans. Would we venerate Gilles if his antics had no risks?
These days, drivers are dismissed as pr puppets who race on disney tracks and earn obscene amounts of money. Contrast that with the drivers of the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's when a big crash could end a career or life. They were thrill seekers, hence their attraction to other "extreme" sports of the time and fast cars. Today's drivers seem more attracted to the technology of many buttons and cry in their beer when there's a whiff of danger. The reigning champion Hamilton drives a Mercedes diesel for god's sake. A smart choice but it hardly fits the image of a race driver....
Is it any wonder that drivers aren't held in awe anymore?
The bolded bit is just agreeing with me in different words. I specifically separated out the thrill of the risk and the risk of death. It's possible to have one without the other, it's possible to want one without the other.
The italicised bit.. we don't hold anyone in awe any more. We used to hold astronauts in awe. We used to hold politicians in awe. We used to hold leaders of nations in awe. We used to hold sportspeople in awe. We used to hold movie stars in awe. We don't any more. Most of these jobs haven't actually changed, but the world around them has, and I'm not sure why you expect racing drivers to be the last bastion of revered gods in society (I'm not sure why revering them is necessary for the health of the sport, either, but if you remember the 50s, 60s and 70s I suspect that may be an age difference).
And you're right, I haven't read a lot of post-war autobiographies. I've read Jackie Stewart's though, and the list of fatherless children that he knew did not give me the impression of a man who was particularly eager to add his own onto that list.