Auto Racing: professional racing, novice driver, professional cars

Question
greetings,
 I am 21 years old, will get my electrical engineering degree in two years time. I am really interested in pursuing a career in formula one driving, but have no idea where to go or start. I browsed the net and just found leisure parks offering adrenaline-rush-for-money 'academies' destined for speed fans with extra money. Not interested in those. I really want the reputable academic institutions that will give u a theoretical grasp on driving and racing professional cars, a gateway for prospective professional racers. for instance: u go to yale med school and land a great job at a great hospital. or get a harvard law degree to land a job in some multi-million-dollar law firm. what is the equivalent of these institutions in car racing?

Answer
Dear Selim,

Thanks for your question. I am based in the UK and can answer your question for the UK, but not for the US, as I don't have many details of the feeder series and racing schools over there. Anyway, many of your compatriots come to the UK to learn the craft of motor racing anyway.

There are 2 ways to get into Formula One, effectively starting at the bottom and working your way up, or using funding to buy a drive in one of the feeder series and then to impress the F1 teams from there.

Drivers normally start off by karting in their teenage years and then moving up to single seater racing in such as Formula Ford or Formula Renault. The next traditional step is Formula 3 followed by Formula 3000, although recently we've seen a lot of drivers with impressive talent plucked directly from the more lowly series.

Your age counts against you as a novice driver, but your nationality is a big plus, with F1 teams desparate to land US drivers and so access through sponsorship and promotional deals the vast US market. There have been so few US F1 drivers in the last 10 years.

To start off I would recommend one of the premium racing schools, some of which offer as a prize a drive in one of the starter series, which is handy if you're low on funds.

Details as below:
Silverstone 44 1327 857271
Brands Hatch 44 1474 872331
Jim Russell 44 1509 219191

Regarding budgets, assuming the drives are bought rather than earned, a driver should find approximately £50,000 for a successful Formula Ford campaign, £100,000 for F3 and £250,000 for F3000, the rates buying rides with reputable teams.

There are other routes through to F1, for example via Japan or even through the US series, but the above outline is more successful as the F1 teams pay very close attention to talent in teh UK feeder series.

I hope this answers your question.
Adam