Racing Dream

[paul r]

Now I know that I’m too old to make a big impact in the world of top level motor sport at the grand old age of 33 but quite a few things have changed in my life recently that has made want to try and pursue my child hood dream that I never had the money or opportunity to do before. Ideally I would love to end up racing GT cars at Le Mans etc. I would also love to make a living from it, not interested in earning a fortune just enough to live.

What is the best way forward for me? Do we have any race drivers on here? And am I too old to start? Am I kidding myself?

[loneranger]

You could try the Caterham Academy www.caterhamracing.com/championships/academy/index.htm

[FourWheelDrift]

Not kidding yourself at all, there is quite a good progression through many series. You could look at starting with any small tintop series you can think of then, buying and running your own car for a year or two. Then something like Britcar or Radicals or a single make series like Porsche Carerra Cup then of course moving into British GT3. From then on if you have what it takes and the money (the important bit) you could be confident enough to give Le Mans a go. You have to buy your rides though and the higher you go the more it'll cost. Will take time as well and money.

You'll need deep pockets, have I mentioned money already?

Edited by FourWheelDrift on Monday 14th May 15:11

[rude-boy]

paul r said:

Now I know that I’m too old to make a big impact in the world of top level motor sport at the grand old age of 33 but quite a few things have changed in my life recently that has made want to try and pursue my child hood dream that I never had the money or opportunity to do before. Ideally I would love to end up racing GT cars at Le Mans etc. I would also love to make a living from it, not interested in earning a fortune just enough to live.

What is the best way forward for me? Do we have any race drivers on here? And am I too old to start? Am I kidding myself?

IMHO you are too old to start looking at this as a way of putting bread on the table. It's just not going to happen with the 1001 bright young things and 3001 ex-bright young things all looking for the same money purse you are.

As for getting to LM etc. if you've got the money (not as much as you might think you'd need but still a good 5 figures for LM) and the talent you could get on the grid for the 2011 LM at a pinch.

[FourWheelDrift]

rude-boy said:

IMHO you are too old to start looking at this as a way of putting bread on the table. It's just not going to happen with the 1001 bright young things and 3001 ex-bright young things all looking for the same money purse you are.

Although they don't tend to be looking at GT cars and Le Mans when they are young, but making a living out of racing he needs to be more than good to be asked to drive for a team where he gets paid and not many do.

[rude-boy]

FourWheelDrift said:

Although they don't tend to be looking at GT cars and Le Mans when they are young, but making a living out of racing he needs to be more than good to be asked to drive for a team where he gets paid and not many do.

Opps, misread your post at first.



has to be VERY good

Stuart Hall,
Luke Hines,
Jonathan Cocker,
Thones Enge
are just off the top of my head in 30 seconds and before you look at the original ones in the late '90's who ran out of funds after F3 and put in Ollie Gavin, Johnny Mowlem etal.

Edited by rude-boy on Monday 14th May 15:53

[incorrigible]

There isn't a shortage of people who are prepared to pay >£100,000 for a drive. You'll not only have to stump up that sort of cash, but be much better than those drivers to stand a chance of getting paid for racing

My advice, start club racing

The Caterham accademy was mentioned earlier, I did it 2005, excellent. Most people in the series I currently race in (Caterham Super Graduates) spend about £6k-£8k a year on their habit. Winners of this and other Caterham series have gone on to be pro racers but not without stumping up cash for TOCA feed series etc

[Graham]

There are very few Drivers in the uk who are paid to drive. Even most of the guys you see as proffesionals actually have to go out and find sponsors to fund their drive and their salary..

A lot of the guys scratch around doing tuition at various levels to fund things between drivers.

You'd stand more chance looking to make a decent wedge in business and then spend that on your racing. I know guys around who if you've got the money could get you a drive in just about anything including a 911 at Le Mans, but you do need the cash.

If you really want to make a living driving you've much more chance in the USA,In europe if you've not won something major by 18 nobody is interested ;-(

G

Edited by Graham on Monday 14th May 16:28

[GarrettMacD]

paul r said:

Now I know that I’m too old to make a big impact in the world of top level motor sport at the grand old age of 33 but quite a few things have changed in my life recently that has made want to try and pursue my child hood dream that I never had the money or opportunity to do before. Ideally I would love to end up racing GT cars at Le Mans etc. I would also love to make a living from it, not interested in earning a fortune just enough to live.

What is the best way forward for me? Do we have any race drivers on here? And am I too old to start? Am I kidding myself?

There's absolutely nothing to stop you getting on the grid at LM, except money! I remember reading in Motorsport News that Lawrence Tomlinson went from a club racer in 2001 to a class winner at LM in 2006. He had the benefit of two pro's alongside, and a few quid to get a decent car, squad, and drivers.

You probably won't make enough money to live on as a driver, if at all. Many supplement their income as instructors, in fact a lot of instructors race for free, to keep their name out there and so that they're not forgotten.

Remember that you'll need the relevant licence too - I think the minimum is International B for LM (and Int'l C for the 'Ring 24hrs), so you'll be looking at competing in a fair few races before you're even eligible for a licence.

If I had the money, and wanted to get to LM, here's the path I would take. Not necessarily the best, but definitely 'do-able'...

Caterhams - 2 years. First year to find your feet, second year to win the championship.
Porsche Carrera cup (uk) - 1 year at least to get used to a GT car
FIA GT or GT3 - another year to get decent racecraft, speed, and getting to know how a professional team works.

That would put you in a position to race at LM in 2011, as per the other post. God knows how much it'll cost, but budget £50k for the two years in Caterhams, £75k for a year in the Carrera cup, and about £100/125k for FIA GT3. So my guess is £250k before you've got to LM.

Either way, regardless of what you race, enjoy it!

[johnph]

Interesting this:

Robert Doornbos (Red Bull test driver/Team Minardi USA race driver) - was 18 when he started racing, until then he was a semi-pro tennis player.

Damon Hill didn't start racing until he was 23 - and even then he was racing motorbikes, not cars.

Gives hope to 19yo uni students like me!

Edited by johnph on Monday 14th May 20:00

[spaximus]

The other thing is racers now have to be tiny. If you look at DC he towers over Alonso kimi and Lewis. That is why Wilson had to go to the US to race indy cars, too tall for F1 even though he was a championship winner. It takes a hell of a lot of cash to save the weight differance that a small guy gives you.

[SimonY]

Tbh I don't think weight (within reason ) or size is an issue in GTs.

Edited by SimonY on Tuesday 15th May 00:40

[BTY]

If you want to make a small fortune in racing you need to start with a large one.

[Sean Edwards]

Well at 33, if you have no prior racing experience, then your chance of making money is pretty poor, sorry to say! You can still have a lot of fun though, if you have the money and time to spare.

I have had to find a lot of sponsorship, to get where I am today, in the position to be getting free and paid top level GT drives. To get here, I started karting when I was 2 and racing karts when I was 11 and then cars when I was 16. I won the FIA GT3 series last year at 19 and moved to FIA GT this year.

Yes instructing is a good way of earning money in between the racing commitments.

The best way to move forward and if you want too see if you have any chance of making it anywhere, I would suggest doing a days instruction with me and I shall be able to tell you straight away weather you have the talent to do something big in racing or not. This way you will save your self a lot of time and money, if your no good. But if you are, then you can get serious about it…

Hall, Hines and Cocker are still paying for their drives by the way. Enge is being paid.

[e-mail]
www.seanedwards.eu

[GuyS.]

Sean Edwards said:

Well at 33, if you have no prior racing experience, then your chance of making money is pretty poor, sorry to say! You can still have a lot of fun though, if you have the money and time to spare.

I have had to find a lot of sponsorship, to get where I am today, in the position to be getting free and paid top level GT drives. To get here, I started karting when I was 2 and racing karts when I was 11 and then cars when I was 16. I won the FIA GT3 series last year at 19 and moved to FIA GT this year.

Yes instructing is a good way of earning money in between the racing commitments.

The best way to move forward and if you want too see if you have any chance of making it anywhere, I would suggest doing a days instruction with me and I shall be able to tell you straight away weather you have the talent to do something big in racing or not. This way you will save your self a lot of time and money, if your no good. But if you are, then you can get serious about it…

Hall, Hines and Cocker are still paying for their drives by the way. Enge is being paid.

[e-mail]
www.seanedwards.eu

Finding a copy of your Dad's guide to sponsorship would be a pretty good start !

[taffyracer]

My advice would be to drive for fun, I started at 33 and there is NO MONEY in being a pro, only the top flight (and i'm talking named drivers not obscure ones) earn anything remotely close to a decent salary, do somethiing that pays well instead and use that to fund the racing, to succeed you need money, not talent!

[rude-boy]

Sean Edwards said:

Hall, Hines and Cocker are still paying for their drives by the way. Enge is being paid.

Slightly surprised, Hall I can understand is still paying but would have thought that Hines was at least on a free drive. Cocker I am very surprised at though. At the very least I would have thought he was on a free drive.

[racefan_uk]

rude-boy said:

Slightly surprised, Hall I can understand is still paying but would have thought that Hines was at least on a free drive. Cocker I am very surprised at though. At the very least I would have thought he was on a free drive.

A case of believing the hype, rather than knowing what goes on behind the scenes. There are VERY few professional (as in, getting paid to RACE (no instruct) for a living) racing drivers in the UK.

[Graham]

racefan_uk said:

There are VERY few professional (as in, getting paid to RACE (no instruct) for a living) racing drivers in the UK.

Too true, although the public perception is very different. If i had a pound for every time Even I was asked if i made a living from Racing or if i had another job as well I could probably live off it...

mind you it does feel like a full time job most of the time, even club racing !!!!

[paul r]

Thanks guys, all very interesting reading. I knew deep down that I wouldn't be able to make a fortune just wondered what the options are to at least be able to eat!! lol. I still want to look into it. Once again thank you all for taking the time to reply.