What to do after Formula Ford?
Discussion
My sons competed in FFord Kents for about 10 years now and we are looking to do something else. We've done ok at it, but he needs something a bit quicker really.
He had a free race in Club F3 a few years ago and seemed to get the hang of it fairly quickly. Has anyone got an idea of real world costs for a competitive car and running costs. I understand tyres are £750 a set and double header entry fees about £300.
What about spares - costs and availability?
We run the car ourselves and would prefer to run ourselves in the future.
He had a free race in Club F3 a few years ago and seemed to get the hang of it fairly quickly. Has anyone got an idea of real world costs for a competitive car and running costs. I understand tyres are £750 a set and double header entry fees about £300.
What about spares - costs and availability?
We run the car ourselves and would prefer to run ourselves in the future.
andygo said:
Not really looked at that ever, but with such a disparity of cars, who are you racing? Club F3 is run by the Monoposto MC I think.
There are different classes within monoposto, I suppose it's what you're looking for, if its to climb up the latter I'd go for barc Renault, but it it's good level club racing, go for monoposto, there are several classes, big grids and very close racingIts difficult to choose what to do.
Looked at Caterham roadsports, but they are slower than a Formula Ford, as is pretty much any roadcar based series.
Elises look ok, but maybe expensive for what they are.
Looking more and more like club F3, but some of the costs could go out of control. Oh, thats pretty much any sort of racing I guess!
Looked at Caterham roadsports, but they are slower than a Formula Ford, as is pretty much any roadcar based series.
Elises look ok, but maybe expensive for what they are.
Looking more and more like club F3, but some of the costs could go out of control. Oh, thats pretty much any sort of racing I guess!
andygo said:
Its difficult to choose what to do.
Looked at Caterham roadsports, but they are slower than a Formula Ford, as is pretty much any roadcar based series.
Elises look ok, but maybe expensive for what they are.
Looking more and more like club F3, but some of the costs could go out of control. Oh, thats pretty much any sort of racing I guess!
The F3 Cup isn't too bad once you have the car. Certainly not much more if anything, than BARC FR but better cars.Looked at Caterham roadsports, but they are slower than a Formula Ford, as is pretty much any roadcar based series.
Elises look ok, but maybe expensive for what they are.
Looking more and more like club F3, but some of the costs could go out of control. Oh, thats pretty much any sort of racing I guess!
If you're running yourself, then you only have to buy a car, pay for entries, fuel and tyres, and make sure the bits that wear out/break aren't (brakes, plugs, wheel bearings, bodywork etc). If you do that, then you could probably run a competitive season for between £15k (no testing, only a few new tyres, everything done on the cheap) to £30k (some testing, 10 sets of tyres, and buying brake pads, wheel bearings etc when needed rather than just when desperate).
To be run by a team would cost around the £30k region (plus the above costs of tyres, fuel, entries, testing, brakes, bodywork, repairs) plus the cost of a car (and any costs to get it ready for racing in F3 Cup). As such a complete season is going to be in the region of £45-60k plus the cost of a car. Note that you'll make a lot of the purchase back when you sell the car, so other than the initial investment you only need to look at the depreciation of the car, and by the time they're in F3 Cup the rate of depreciation has slowed considerably. And the initial investment can be spread over several years.
Renting a car is also an option, but it often works out more expensive in the long run. There aren't that many teams that rent cars out (because not many small teams can afford to have £40k tied up in one asset), but there are some.
BARC Renault seems to have lower car costs, but higher running costs, as it attracts bigger and more 'professional' teams, so the annual budget is bigger. But for a self-run driver (i.e. no labour bills) you'll be better off in the cheaper car - but you won't find it at all easy to be competitive as the bigger teams have 10 years worth of data and experience with that chassis.
Monoposto is cheaper. You're probably looking at about £12k for a season, plus the cost of a car, plus brakes/wheelbearings/bodywork, plus a team's charge if you wanted to run by someone else. Cheaper fuel, more expensive tyres (but you'll only use 2 or 3 sets), fewer rounds, cheaper entries. A budget with a team is likely to be in the £30-45k region.
Hope that helps.
To be run by a team would cost around the £30k region (plus the above costs of tyres, fuel, entries, testing, brakes, bodywork, repairs) plus the cost of a car (and any costs to get it ready for racing in F3 Cup). As such a complete season is going to be in the region of £45-60k plus the cost of a car. Note that you'll make a lot of the purchase back when you sell the car, so other than the initial investment you only need to look at the depreciation of the car, and by the time they're in F3 Cup the rate of depreciation has slowed considerably. And the initial investment can be spread over several years.
Renting a car is also an option, but it often works out more expensive in the long run. There aren't that many teams that rent cars out (because not many small teams can afford to have £40k tied up in one asset), but there are some.
BARC Renault seems to have lower car costs, but higher running costs, as it attracts bigger and more 'professional' teams, so the annual budget is bigger. But for a self-run driver (i.e. no labour bills) you'll be better off in the cheaper car - but you won't find it at all easy to be competitive as the bigger teams have 10 years worth of data and experience with that chassis.
Monoposto is cheaper. You're probably looking at about £12k for a season, plus the cost of a car, plus brakes/wheelbearings/bodywork, plus a team's charge if you wanted to run by someone else. Cheaper fuel, more expensive tyres (but you'll only use 2 or 3 sets), fewer rounds, cheaper entries. A budget with a team is likely to be in the £30-45k region.
Hope that helps.
Count Johnny said:
Or (if single seaters are your thing and you want 'on-event' access to support without paying for it exclusively) how about Formula Jedi.
The cars are jolly fast and the chaps at Jedi are amongst the nicest people that I've met in motorsport.
I've seen the chaps that race those. Eyes like saucers and I'm sure they would wear Biggles hats if allowed! The cars are jolly fast and the chaps at Jedi are amongst the nicest people that I've met in motorsport.
marshal_alan said:
guess there isnt budget for the f-fords on the toca package??
staying roughly on single seaters what about the national legends, big grids, amazing racing, easy to work on and a great bunch of guys
Running nat formula ford is going to be expensive. And have you seen the latest cars? We have done some scholarship class nat FF Zetec in its heyday. Big fun, big money. ( I realise big money is relative..)staying roughly on single seaters what about the national legends, big grids, amazing racing, easy to work on and a great bunch of guys
Hard to please here!
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