Many parents dream of having their child race in Formula 1. The first and most crucial step is that you give your child the opportunity to develop his or her talents. They must be given the opportunity to go-karting at a very young age. This is followed by a circuit along with other training courses. But that is no guarantee that you can actually get a seat in a Formula 1 car. It is well known that Formula 1 costs a lot of money. How much, we are trying to find out here.
Good preparation for the F1
As is known, the kart provides a reasonable basis for later participation in another racing championship. The route that a driver chooses after the kart has several options. The most chance of an F1 seat would be the F3 with 79.2%. This is followed by the Formula Renault entry with 58.3% and the GP2 with 48.5%. The F2 is the official training competition for the F1. But it’s not just about skills, says former driver Jacky Stewart. “You also have to bring money with you. Today’s F1 cars are so easy to drive that it’s not just about talent.”
At least 8 million dollars
Mercedes team leader Toto Wolff is an expert in guiding drivers. He lists how much should be invested in a talented driver if he wants to stand a chance in Formula 1. “You have to think of about a million euros in karting in junior, senior, and international races. This is followed by a season in Formula 4 or Formula Renault of €350,000 and two seasons F3 of €650,000. After that, you have to do GP2 of €1.5 million, so then you are already almost €4 to €5 million. ”
Commercial value for sponsors
But, says Wolff, you are not there yet. “To start racing in Formula 1, you still need €2 to €3 million. So assume that you need at least €8 million. ”And even if you have that money, there is still no guarantee that you can get a seat in Formula 1. Because the potential commercial value of a driver for a team also plays a significant role in assigning an F1 seat.
