74 replies to this topic

[Possible]

Hi friends,
I am 16 years old.I have really became interested in F1 after a karting experince.I am a real car crazy from the time I was aroung 5 years.I never knew that I can make a career out of it.If I start now can I really make it.I am not talking of timepass but a world champion.Mind it that I will do whatever it takes,whatever.How much ever hardwork it takes.Will I reach there or its not possible.I really cant take a no but then I want honest reply.Please reply.

[arttidesco]

Where there is a will, there is a way.

 

Good luck where ever your journey takes you.

[E1pix]

I agree with Arti. If it's what you really want -- and are willing to give up nearly everything else to get there -- Who Knows?

Don't forget to enjoy your quest, and pardon the pun... you'd better get moving.

Happy apexes.

[GMACKIE]

You are off to a good start....you want to be World Champion, and you will do whatever it takes.

 

Now you just need to be a bloody good driver.

[Possible]

Thanks friends,but I dont want to play blindly.I want to make sure that there is a future in it.T have read many places that it requires huge money.I mess up so much and if I dont get anything then where will I be standing in life.Do you people know any website or something where I find people really expert in this field?

[Possible]

What is bothering me is have a look at any present champion's biography,they have started at unbelieveably at 3,4,5 and maximum around 12.

[Possible]

I am damn serious about it .

[Possible]

Your replies like-Who Knows,Theres a will is making me even more tensed.You all literally meaning its difficult

[E1pix]

We would be wrong if telling you it's anything short of extremely difficult -- but so was Oksana Bayul winning the Olympics. Yet she did it.

Experience is really important, but many experienced drivers with everything given to them have failed. Others are fast with less experience. Desire and focus are key.

Are you good at things you apply yourself to? Are you level-headed and excel under pressure? Have you raced karts yet?

[E1pix]

I will add that if you really want this but don't try you could end up in a worse place in life than if you try and fail.

Pursue your dreams, but never forget to enjoy the ride.

[tiganut]

Never regret having done something,but regret not having tried.

[evo]

Your journey would really depend on where you're located, some places/countries just have more opportunities than others.

 

Yes, most start before they turn 10, but that's because it's the parents who decided to put them in a kart to see what came of it.

 

That said, of recent memory, Takuma Sato started at age 19.

[kayemod]

I'm struggling to see where nostalgia comes into this.

[E1pix]

That said, of recent memory, Takuma Sato started at age 19.

Great call, Evo. If I'm correct, Kimi Raikkonen only took a total of 30-something races to reach Formula One. Seems like he did okay in the end. ;-)

Edited by E1pix, 30 October 2014 - 09:30.

[Possible]

I live in India. Narain karthikeyan was from here.

[Possible]

I searched takuma sato but not getting how he started etc.Wikipedia is not having enough information.

[ensign14]

Change your surname to Senna, Villeneuve, Schumacher or something similar, and claim to be a cousin.

 

Alternatively, given you are in India, change it to Mittal and blag untold wealth like mad.

[bill p]

I'm struggling to see where nostalgia comes into this.

 

 

My thoughts too..............

 

"Possible", Force India ran a Karting Academy to bring on drivers from your Continent, try Googling - otherwise try posting on the "Racing Comments" section

 

Good luck

[PCC]

I'm struggling to see where nostalgia comes into this.

I don't think it does. That said, the posting of the thread here may reflect TNF's reputation for being a community of (mostly) experienced people of good will. Can you imagine what would happen if Possible took Bill P's advice and put it on RC?

 

My two cents: if you have a dream and you're passionate about it, you either try to make it work or spend the rest of your life wondering what would have happened if you had tried. And the latter is no way to live.

[E1pix]

Agree PCC. There's nowhere else here this would fit and besides, if it helps a kid nothing else matters.

[E1pix]

Bloody cell phones, keep hitting "report" when trying to hit "edit."

Sorry, Mods.

[bill p]

I don't think it does. That said, the posting of the thread here may reflect TNF's reputation for being a community of (mostly) experienced people of good will. Can you imagine what would happen if Possible took Bill P's advice and put it on RC?

 

My two cents: if you have a dream and you're passionate about it, you either try to make it work or spend the rest of your life wondering what would have happened if you had tried. And the latter is no way to live.

 

PCC, "Possible" needs as much advice as possible and Racing Comments can provide that.  Granted a lot of "filtering" may be required.

 

He will also need more than your two cents!    

Edited by bill p, 30 October 2014 - 17:10.

[Doug Nye]

Possible - find the right door, knock on it, and if it opens just a tiny bit stick your foot in the gap and push hard. You are on the internet - try this for starters: http://www.nissan.in...GT_ACADEMY.aspx

DCN

[D-Type]

Whatever route you find, it will take MONEY plus MONEY plus MONEY.  If you can, marry a millionaire's daughter - or failing that attract the attention of a rich widow.  Unfortunately these are both thin on the ground and there is a lot of competition from other hopefuls.  S you'll have to earn money -   The day job, an evening job and a morning job.  There are 24 hours in a day.  You need to sleep for 8 of them which leaves 16 available for making money.

[john aston]

There is a world of difference between where you are now and where you want to be . And the chances of getting into F1 exist but are so tiny as to be nearly non existent . But why not aim for the next step above where you are now - get a test in an old formula ford or even a newer Formula Renault? There is infinitely more to this sport than F1 and a large part of it is far better- that is probably why they don't show it on TV very much ..

[Doug Nye]

There is infinitely more to this sport than F1 and a large part of it is far better- that is probably why they don't show it on TV very much ..

Ain't that the truth....tee-hee.

DCN

[evo]

http://ajfoytracing....ers/takuma-sato

 

That's a pretty comprehensive bio of the guy, although it mentioned he started racing at age 20.

 

 

Like others said, you need the right door to open, GT academy is a very modern and good place to start. It's the cheapest form of motorsport entry you can get today and also a very good indication of how you would fare against all the other potentials.

 

If you manage to get in, it's always about self-improvement and self-belief when looking inward. When looking outward, you want people to be impressed, yet approachable. It's the same belief system you can apply anywhere.

 

In motorsports, that means you want to go out and be the David against the Goliaths; high position finishes with outdated machinery, beating opponents with much less experience on a consistent basis, etc. Situations like those will get you noticed, is what people read about, and is potentially the fastest way to the top.

 

This is a relavent blog from Karun on ways to the upper echelons of motorsport, particularly circuit racing.
http://www.karunchan...log&Itemid=170

 

Hope this helps you with your journey! Good luck!

[Michael Ferner]

Whatever route you find, it will take MONEY plus MONEY plus MONEY.  If you can, marry a millionaire's daughter - or failing that attract the attention of a rich widow.  Unfortunately these are both thin on the ground and there is a lot of competition from other hopefuls.  S you'll have to earn money -   The day job, an evening job and a morning job.  There are 24 hours in a day.  You need to sleep for 8 of them which leaves 16 available for making money.

Thanks for the first sensible post in this thread!

I'm fairly shocked at the response of the majority here. My general rule of thumb would be: If you need to ask in this, don't do it - you don't have what it takes. If you need to ask people you don't know on the internet, then hell NO!!! Wake up, and get real!

[D-Type]

As well as ambition and money, the other thing you must have is skill.  Even if you have not driven a car you can get an indication from skills at other sports.  Are you a good boxer or cricket, hockey, football, squash or tennis player?  All these require good reflexes and co-ordination which are fundamental requirements for a racing driver.  To be brutally honest, if you are not a natural athlete it is highly unlikely you will have the necessary physical skills to be a racing driver.

[Doug Nye]

Thanks for the first sensible post in this thread!

I'm fairly shocked at the response of the majority here. My general rule of thumb would be: If you need to ask in this, don't do it - you don't have what it takes. If you need to ask people you don't know on the internet, then hell NO!!! Wake up, and get real!

Michael - ease up.  Don't crush a kid's dream, however remote its realisation might truthfully be.  Sometimes peerless logic is out of place.

 

DCN

[ensign14]

 

To be brutally honest, if you are not a natural athlete it is highly unlikely you will have the necessary physical skills to be a racing driver.

Might be OK in NASCAR though.

[PCC]

I'm fairly shocked at the response of the majority here. My general rule of thumb would be: If you need to ask in this, don't do it - you don't have what it takes. If you need to ask people you don't know on the internet, then hell NO!!! Wake up, and get real!

I think it's far better to give young people encouragement, and let them discover for themselves what their strengths and limitations are. Most sixteen-year-olds have no idea what career they will have - and those who think they know are almost always wrong. You don't help them by insisting that they think small.

[Charlieman]

D-Type is, of course, correct about money. You will need the capacity and confidence to ask people for their money; these are attributes most commonly found in people who are surrounded by rich people, so if they are not true for you, you'll need to learn how to fake them. It's a long time since a shy driver won an F1 seat. 

 

But it is time for some nostalgia...

 

In the 1970s, IIRC, Derek Daly and a compatriot flew to Australia to work at a mine. Daly saved enough money to seed a Formula Ford season and eventually won the Formula Ford Festival when aged 22 or 23 years. Sadly, motor racing has changed, but it might be possible to earn enough money (doing hard work) to be a late starter. 

 

Regarding athleticism, I am half the size/weight of Froilan Gonzalez at his racing peak and would be much less than that as a driver. Denis Jenkinson's book The Racing Driver can be bought for a couple of pounds plus postage, and it includes some interesting ideas about what makes a driver. I'm surprised the book is not more controversial.

 

If you wear spectacles or contact lenses, you are less likely to make it as a professional racing driver. There are a few exceptions -- Larry Perkins comes to mind, and I know that there are a few recent F1 drivers who wear contact lenses.

 

Historic racing today is full of 40+ years gents (and a few women) who satisfy their desire to race an F1 or Group C car. If you work hard and save a million pounds (inflation adjusted), you can race for a season or two on classic circuits with enough money at the end to buy a lottery ticket.

[Michael Ferner]

Michael - ease up.  Don't crush a kid's dream, however remote its realisation might truthfully be.  Sometimes peerless logic is out of place.
 
DCN

Well, it will be cheaper for him if I crush his dream, instead of letting reality do it!

I stand by my advice: Forget about it. Find something else to focus on. Life's good if you tackle it.

[Charlieman]

Richard Williams at the Guardian is having a nostalgic moment too:

http://www.theguardi...russia-caterham

 

There is something in it for thread starter Possible to contemplate. When Jack Brabham and Bruce McLaren arrived in the UK, both had racing reputations down under which they started again in the Cooper workshop. A form of globalisation, perhaps? Graham Hill at Lotus started his career as a mechanic or stores assistant. Opportunities like those are so narrow today that a youngster is unlikely to have even the chance to rev an F1 engine.

 

Michael Ferner is realistic but a bit too pessimistic for my liking. When at the Macau GP a few years ago, there was a team of mechanics at a neighbouring table for alleged hotel breakfast. I reckon most were Indian lads but perhaps another nationality too. They were looking after a touring car for one of the smaller teams. They spoke in English during death-by-breakfast, so I could earwig that they really enjoyed what they were doing, if not the meal. They had plans for their lives.

 

There are lots of things to strive for in life.

[E1pix]

Man oh man, I knew this would happen -- and even predicted who'd say it. Possible, I point this out to you as a hint to ignore the flamers here that are known for this kind of thing. Please focus on the positive as much as possible, here and everywhere else in your life.

Ignore those telling you what you're capable of. I was told the same by many who never reached, yet I accomplished what they insisted I couldn't. Don't let the negative thinkers beat you down, instead get strength from it.

Look into the history of my Hero, Gilles Villeneuve. A simple snowmobile racer of modest means, he went to the top through diligence and belief in himself. And he lived in Canada, impossible, right? Yet he did it. You may well have what he had and trying is the only way to find out. Anything worth doing is harder than hell, but try you should.

Go find out, and let me know if I can help.

[Michael Ferner]

Some people here seem to know me better than I do - I never knew I was pessimistic, or even a "negative thinker". Perhaps I should be, seeing all those go-happy advisers who don't care about you, but just post to make themselves feel better. "Yeah, I'm showing real positive attitude, I'm encouraging the young etc." Gratuitous bullshit.

You ask for advice, I'm giving you my honest impression. You don't have to believe it, but do yourself a favour and read an F1 driver's autobiography asap, or failing that a biography of any other person who's been extremely successful in what he's doing. If it feels like reading your own story, then go ahead, if not it would be extremely foolish to spend a lot of money (which you most definitely will!) on a teenage dream that will lead nowhere. And don't worry, you will not regret it for the rest of your life. That's just more bullshit by people who really should know better!

[PCC]

I never knew I was pessimistic, or even a "negative thinker".

Perhaps you're not in person. But all we have to go on is your prose, which is frequently aggressive, dismissive and condescending.

[E1pix]

Well done, PCC.

Using such "logic," nobody has a future. Dream small and that's what life will make you.

[Michael Ferner]

Perhaps you're not in person. But all we have to go on is your prose, which is frequently aggressive, dismissive and condescending.

Like, deliberately twisting the meaning of another person's post, and then saying "it's tosh"? Coming from you, of all persons, this comment is just ... tosh!

Edited by Michael Ferner, 31 October 2014 - 17:29.

[Nemo1965]

Man oh man, I knew this would happen -- and even predicted who'd say it. Possible, I point this out to you as a hint to ignore the flamers here that are known for this kind of thing. Please focus on the positive as much as possible, here and everywhere else in your life.

Ignore those telling you what you're capable of. I was told the same by many who never reached, yet I accomplished what they insisted I couldn't. Don't let the negative thinkers beat you down, instead get strength from it.

Look into the history of my Hero, Gilles Villeneuve. A simple snowmobile racer of modest means, he went to the top through diligence and belief in himself. And he lived in Canada, impossible, right? Yet he did it. You may well have what he had and trying is the only way to find out. Anything worth doing is harder than hell, but try you should.

Go find out, and let me know if I can help.

 

The interesting thing I only recently learned about Gilles is that he made himself a couple of years younger (or: that he lied about his age) when he reached F1. Obviously, he wanted not to block his chances of a F1 career by being perceived as 'too old'. Ronald Ratzenberger (RIP) also covered up his real age.

 

So the 'I am too old'-question is of all ages, the problem with Max Verstappen the bar is raised (or lowered!).

 

When I read your post (thread-starter) I think two things. 1. The chance for ANYBODY - even for, say, the four year old son of a F1 driver, living now - to reach F1 is very small. That can discourage you... but at the same time: if the chances are small, why not take a dare?

 

2. To shield yourself from disappointment, accept the possibility that you could fail... and still have a wonderfull life. Say you are a tennisplayer... and you want to win Wimbledon. You train hard, play hard, fight your guts out... but you only reach the qualifiers at Roehampton. Then you accept a job as a tenniscoach, teaching young kids who have the same dreams you once had.

 

Have you failed in life? You had a dream, did not fulfill that dream, but in the end you are still making money with the sport you love!

 

The same could happen if you don't reach F1. You could become a very succesfull touringcar-driver. Or you wind up working as a driving-instructor on a race-track. I know there are some posters who would call that 'failing', I would say: sometimes you won't get what you want, but you will get what you need.

 

Now some advice: take one step at a time. Don't do a Niki Lauda, who put himself deeper in debt everytime he flunked in one series, and then raised the stakes. In tennisterms: first win your clubchampionship, then an open tournament, then a ranked tournament, then.. and soforth.

 

Enjoy the journey!

Edited by Nemo1965, 31 October 2014 - 18:49.

[Doug Nye]

First of all, try the internet Nissan Sony Academy to see if you have any aptitude. If you haven't - develop another ambition. If you have - push onward. You might be too old already. But you won't know if you don't just try.

DCN

[GMACKIE]

Listen Poss...if you are really fair-dinkum serious, no-one here [or anywhere else] will be able to talk you out of it.

[Michael Ferner]

Exactly. If he's got what it takes, he will achieve it anyway. And I will become the president of his fan club. Promise!

[MCS]

...In the 1970s, IIRC, Derek Daly and a compatriot flew to Australia to work at a mine. Daly saved enough money to seed a Formula Ford season and eventually won the Formula Ford Festival when aged 22 or 23 years. Sadly, motor racing has changed, but it might be possible to earn enough money (doing hard work) to be a late starter... 

 

...If you wear spectacles or contact lenses, you are less likely to make it as a professional racing driver. There are a few exceptions -- Larry Perkins comes to mind, and I know that there are a few recent F1 drivers who wear contact lenses...

 

 

 

Daly's compatriot was some chap by the name of David Kennedy.

 

Masten Gregory, John Miles, Rolf Stommelen all wore specs.  I wonder how many wear contact lenses - probably more than we think.

[JacnGille]

Masten Gregory, John Miles, Rolf Stommelen all wore specs.  I wonder how many wear contact lenses - probably more than we think.

Jacques Villeneuve wore contacts.

[Richard Jenkins]

Daly's compatriot was some chap by the name of David Kennedy.

Masten Gregory, John Miles, Rolf Stommelen all wore specs. I wonder how many wear contact lenses - probably more than we think.

Nico Rosberg wears contact lenses.

Sebastian Bourdais and Greg Moore also raced with glasses

[Tim Murray]

Many other contact lens/spectacle wearers discussed in this earlier thread:

http://forums.autosp...drivers-merged/

including Duncan's summary of those named in the thread:

http://forums.autosp...-3#entry2781278

Edited by Tim Murray, 01 November 2014 - 07:35.

[Sharman]

There is an enormous difference in attitudes in the modern age. When I was young, if you were any good you were supported by friends and acquaintances even by people who saw you racing and thought that you had potential. It never happened to me because I wasn't any good, but it happened to friends who were invited to drive other peoples motors. One even getting as far as a Ron Harris drive.

However, the raison d'etre for ALL of us was that we loved motor racing. That is where the start should be not because one is seduced by the money and hype surrounding the poison dwarf's circus.

[ExFlagMan]

As the last poster said - the OP has the wrong ambition. Where is the evidence of any passion to be a racing driver in that post? - it has to start there, because if you do not have that you will never have the fortitude to take the hard knocks that you will have to face.