How to Start from Zero and Become a Professional Formula 1 Driver? » Expat Guide Turkey
What is the Formula 1 Driver Path? Have you ever thought about how F1 drivers can drive on TV? What if you want to be a pilot?
When we say Formula 1 we think super cars, challenging tracks, adrenaline and an incredible competitive event. Our high school years were crowned by the unforgettable rivalry between two super pilots, Mika Häkkinen and Michael Schumacher. I researched her memory and tried to find an answer to the question of how to become a Formula 1 driver.
The rough entry into Formula 1 is when drivers move from karting to small single seaters like f3 and f2, are over 18, have a driver’s license and eventually find a place on a Formula 1 team.
How easy isn’t it? Contrary to popular belief, that’s not how business works. Formula 1 has been considered the premier class of motorsport for many years. Therefore, most racers dream of driving in this elite series. However, only 20 spots are available within this race line-up and will be filled by the best of the best. For this reason, it is not easy to cross the road and it should not be forgotten that Formula 1 is an extremely brutal sport.
It is imperative that people who walk this path exhibit some indispensable qualities.
1. Ability
Of course, the most important and first thing you need is talent. These 20 Formula 1 circuits are reserved for the best in the world. You won’t see a driver out there who isn’t good at what they do (there can be some questionable drivers, as with anything). But the truth is, your talent has to be legendary to get this far. Therefore, getting involved in small motorsports like karting between the ages of 8 and 14, improving your racing skills and competing in this group for about 10 years will have a significant impact on your career. ie it will show which drivers are better and have a lot of potential.
2. Coin
Unfortunately, talent alone is not always enough. This brings us to arguably the most important factor to consider. Motorsports is a expensive sport. as long as we walk this path until we reach Formula 1
The numbers we’re going to put out are going to be incredibly high. I can roughly say that motorsport is a business and if you want to drive a car you have to own it and you have to have money for mechanical problems and other things. Because of this, many driver can’t reach it formula 1 level, even if they are extremely talented. You may immediately think why we can’t find sponsors, but many pilots don’t get paid by a team to continue their work Run Living, not to mention finding sponsors. To roughly say how much money we’ll be spending (the numbers I found may be out of date, I’ll warn you in advance) it’s around $50,000-$100,000 Karting racing, $200,000-$400,000 for Formula BMW racing, $300,000-$500,000 for gp3 racing and $500,000-$1,000,000 for gp2 racing.
3. Eligibility
By fitness I mean that you must be in perfect physical and mental condition. because today’s Formula 1 drivers are the best athletes. Most of them are super fit and to stay fit we can see them between racing seasons in different athletic competitions and sports. This is because a default Formula 1 car is subjected to a force of 5 g when entering a curve. So you need to be both strong and resilient to complete the entire race. Especially in very hot races, as the inside of the cockpit overheats, you lose about 3kg of fluid in one race. In addition, though formula 1 Vehicles equipped with power steering require strong arms to control the vehicle during long races. to improve hand-eye coordination, concentration and reaction time, pilots often add various exercises to their exercises. In short, to be one Formula 1 driveryou have to have a clear cool competitive mentality and 750-800hp and stamina like a Formula 1 car (horsework was a joke btw).
The training ritual of F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo
4. Time and Sacrifice
Being a racing driver takes a lot of time and sacrifices, even if you’re not at Formula 1 level. First you will give up your weekends to compete. In addition, some racing series will require you to do this to travel. After the races, you will most likely analyze your data to see where you went wrong and what you can improve. You will even follow other racers. At the same time, as I explained above, you go to the gym or work out to maintain your fitness. You will also prepare for your next race; Maybe you can do some simulation races. You must attend the meetings of the sponsors or your team. In the midst of all this, you must sacrifice your time with friends and family.
After learning so much, let’s look at the other parts of the job. First of all, you need a super license. So what is a Super Licence: Also known as an FIA Super Licence, it is a license that allows the licensee to compete in the world of Formula 1 championship.
Here are the basic requirements to get your super license
– over 18 years old
– Holder of a Class A international competition license
– Valid driving license in your country
– Passing an FIA theory test on the sports regulations of Formula 1
– Complete 80% of two seasons in qualifying single seater championships – 40 Supers
accumulated over 3 seasons in any qualifying championship. You must have a license score.
Racing series qualifying for super license points
for formula 2
indycar
for formula 3
for formula e
European Formula 3
fia world endurance championship – lmp1
Formula Regional European Championship
Super Formula Championship
fia world endurance championship – lmp2
german touring car champion
Super GT
f3 Asian Championship
F3 American Championship
Signature Prototypes
Touring Car World Cup
Supercar Championship
Nascar mug series
indy lights
formula renault europcup
w series
Euro formula open
super formula lights
Formula 4 Championships
Asia Le Mans Series prototypes
Prototypes of the European Le Mans Series
Fia World Endurance Series – lmge pro
Fia World Endurance Series – Imgte Amateur
f3 Asian Championship Winter Series
national Formula 3 series
formula mazda
NASCAR xfinity series
Toyota racing series
International GT3 series
Fia Kart World Championship – Seniors
Continental Karting Championship – Seniors
fia kart world championship juniors
fia kart continental championship juniors
You will impress at the races here so the sponsors and teams will take care of you.
Speaking of teams, a lot of teams have that too driver academy. These academies look for and train new young drivers to get into Formula 1 teams and help them climb some ranks, training their own future drivers so to speak. Of course, to enter here you must have done most of the above. A seat in the Formula 1 team is the dream of many drivers. Reach the top Motorsports is no easy task, and it certainly isn’t cheap either. They require extreme focus and dedication and the talent to match.
good luck in advance…
4. Time and Sacrifice
Being a racing driver takes a lot of time and sacrifices, even if you’re not at Formula 1 level. First you will give up your weekends to compete. In addition, some racing series will require you to do this to travel. After the races, you will most likely analyze your data to see where you went wrong and what you can improve. You will even follow other racers. At the same time, as I explained above, you go to the gym or work out to maintain your fitness. You will also prepare for your next race; Maybe you can do some simulation races. You must attend the meetings of the sponsors or your team. In the midst of all this, you must sacrifice your time with friends and family.
After learning so much, let’s look at the other parts of the job. First of all, you need a super license. So what is a Super Licence: Also known as an FIA Super Licence, it is a license that allows the licensee to compete Formula 1 World Championship.
Here are the basic requirements to get your super license
– over 18 years old
– Holder of a Class A international competition license
– Valid driving license in your country
– Passing an FIA theory test on the sports regulations of Formula 1
– Complete 80% of two seasons in qualifying single seater championships – 40 Supers
accumulated over 3 seasons in any qualifying championship. You must have a license score.
Racing series qualifying for super license points
for formula 2
indycar
for formula 3
for formula e
European Formula 3
fia world endurance championship – lmp1
Formula Regional European Championship
Super Formula Championship
fia world endurance championship – lmp2
german touring car champion
Super GT
f3 Asian Championship
F3 American Championship
Signature Prototypes
Touring Car World Cup
Supercar Championship
Nascar mug series
indy lights
formula renault europcup
w series
Euro formula open
super formula lights
Formula 4 Championship
Asia Le Mans Series prototypes
Prototypes of the European Le Mans Series
Fia World Endurance Series – lmge pro
Fia World Endurance Series – Imgte Amateur
f3 Asian Championship Winter Series
national Formula 3 series
formula mazda
NASCAR xfinity series
Toyota racing series
International GT3 series
Fia Kart World Championship – Seniors
Continental Karting Championship – Seniors
fia kart world championship juniors
fia kart continental championship juniors
You will impress at the races here so the sponsors and teams will take care of you.
Speaking of teams, many teams also have a driver academy. These academies look for new young drivers and train them to get started Formula 1 teams and help them pass some ranks, train their own future driver. Of course, to enter here you must have done most of the above. A seat in the Formula 1 team is the dream of many drivers. Reach the top Motorsports is no easy task, and it certainly isn’t cheap either. They require extreme focus and dedication and the talent to match.
good luck in advance…
Sources : 1/2