QuestionQUESTION: Hi,
I'm 15, and I have just recently started getting really interested in racing, especially Formula 1. I'd love to pursue a career in this, but I have no idea where to start. Also, do you think I'm too old to start now? I live in England, near Manchester, but i don't mind travelling if needed.
Thanks
ANSWER: Dear Chrsitian,
I have just seen your question. I have received the identical question a number of times and you can find my detailed answers on the Allexperts website. If you have any other questions wwhich I have not covered, please let me know.
Good luck,
Adam
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QUESTION: Hi again.
I'm sorry, but I am having some trouble accessing the past answers on this website. I have also tried looking at other websites, but none of them have anything to do with career paths. Please could you answer my question, as this is the only page I seem to be able to view. And also, if you do think 15 is too old to start, what other options are there in racing?
Thanks
ANSWER: Thanks Christian, Here is my answer for you. 15 is not too old, but you need to get a clog on and begin very soon, I recommend this winter with both a karting and racing school programme.
My recommendation is that you start with one of the racing schools and attend their course. Aintree has one which is very local for you (it is now seemingly at Wigan rather than the Grand National, and former British Grand Prix course venue in Liverpool). See their website:
http://www.racing-school.co.uk/driving/racetraining.asp
Their course involves "50 laps driving a Formula Ford single seater racing car. These laps are split into 10 lap sessions, each lap being timed, assessed and data logged if requested. Laps 1 to 20 are run at a 5000rpm limit and for total novices the first 10 laps can be run behind a pace car if required. For the remaining laps the rev limit is increased to full race revs as your performance level improves."
Details of karting school at:
http://www.arks.co.uk/dir-aintree.html
Joining such a school and going through the necessaries will take several months and teach you about driving and racing a single seater formula racing car. In the UK this also enables you to get your racing licence.
If you do very well at a Racing School you can sometimes win a drive for the following season in a competitive car (although only a few of the schools in the UK offer this scholarship - Silverstone does not, not sure about Aintree.
If you are able to secure a budget, then approaching a good team in the first instance for a junior formulae might be a way forward but not many will want to take on a novice, especially if you don't have teh budget. They will certainly I am sure help you go testing to see how you get on and can give you some good advice, and of course, if you are both impressed, could run you in some races or enter you in a (2008)championship.
Having spoken to some reputable team managers in the UK (Alan Docking Racing and Woodcote Racing) to ask them about how a novice should ideally begin, they both told me that starting with the racing school is best. One also mentioned that a parallel programme of karting would be very advisable, suggesting that ideally you should be karting 2-3 times/week and then also doing the single seater racing school at the same time. One of the team managers said that after the racing school course is finished, he could provide a car and the back-up to test with, and can also coach a young driver with a view to preparing them for entering a championship, depending on talent too of course!
I have spoken with the Silverstone Racing School's top man Ken Bowes. SRS say they would start a novice off with an intensive 5 day course where they will receive full training/coaching and they will supply the necessary kit and racing licence application etc. The 5 day course culminates in a race against the other students. The cost is GB Pounds 3100 (or at least it was in 2006) and they are available at fairly regular intervals through the year.
SRS recommend that, depending on how a driver gets on in the 5 day course, they next offer a programme of races to help the drivers apply the skills and continue their learning. The costs will be around GB pounds 7-8000 and involve about 6 races.
If you are interested in UK alternatives, Jonathan Palmer has a facility in Bedfordshire, there is also the Aintree Racing School(Liverpool), the (formally) Brands Hatch circuits of Brands Hatch (Kent), Snetterton (Norforlk), Cadwell (Lincs), Donington (Derbs) and Oulton (Cheshire).
I hope this is helpful to you. Christian.
Good luck,
Adam
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QUESTION: Thank you very much for your help. This is very helpful. I will definitely look into the race schools. In your opinion, which one would you recommend? I know I am quite near the Aintree driving school, which is very useful, but the Silverstone one that you explained sounds very good too. As you said, the downside is that you can't get the scholarship you mentioned from there. Is that an important factor in deciding?
Thanks again. (I'm sorry I'm asking so many questions, but I'm just really interested.)
AnswerI think its best if you call these places up and find out what they offer, and what the costs are. Both offer cars + karts tuition but I believe the karting set up at Aintree is more advanced, they have a karting school and Silverstone don't, as far as I am aware. At 15 you need a faily intensive learning curve, so nearer to home is probably best otherwise you are talking a lot of cost and travelling time.
Good luck,
Adam
