QuestionHey Adam. Just wondering if you could help me here. I'm also a big F1 fan and would love to start racing in any form. I've always wanted to get into karting and possibly try to work my way up to F1 or some other lower formula but I haven't had the right background or finacial background and I'm also 19 now so it could be too late to try. I was wondering if there's a way you think I could try to get into the sport possibly without a lot of financial backing.
Thanks for trying to help
Matt
AnswerDear Matt, thanks for your question.
My recommendation is that you start with one of the racing schools for their course. This will take several months and teach you about driving and racing a single seater formula racing car. It will also enable you to get your racing licence. If you go down this route you may be in shape to
drive a few races towards the end of the year (the championship season in the UK runs from around March to October but there are one-off "Winter" events around October too).
If you do very well at the Racing School you can win a drive for the following season in a competitive car (although only a few of the schools offer this scholarship - Silverstone don't).
If you are able to secure a budget, then approaching a good team in the first instance might be a way forward but not many will want to take on a novice. 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 (2006) championship.
Having spoken to some reputable team's managers (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 you with a car and the back-up to test with, and they can also coach you with a view to preparing you for entering a championship in 2006, depending on talent too of course!
This team manager also has links in with a karting colleague if you want to pursue this, I can make an introduction for you.
I have spoken with the Silverstone Racing School's top man Ken Bowes. SRS say they would start you off with an intensive 5 day course where you'll receive full training/coaching and they will supply your kit and racing licence application etc. The 5 day course culminates in a race against the other students. The cost is £3100 and they are available at fairly regular intervals through the year.
SRS recommend that, depending on how you get 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 £7-8000 and involve about 6 races.
If you want to look around for alternatives, Jonathan Palmer has a facility in Bedfordhire, 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).
Please let me know if I can help further, good luck,
ADAM
