[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/so-you-want-to-be-a-racing-driver\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/so-you-want-to-be-a-racing-driver\/","headline":"So You Want To Be A Racing Driver?","name":"So You Want To Be A Racing Driver?","description":"How to become a racing driver in the elusive motorsport industry As you sit on your sofa watching Lewis Hamilton race around a track at what seems like Mach 1, you wonder to yourself what it would be like if you were in the driver\u2019s seat instead of him. Well, it doesn\u2019t have to be just a dream, competing in motorsport is a perfectly achievable dream for anyone with a will strong enough and a wallet deep enough. Formula 1 […]","datePublished":"2018-06-29","dateModified":"2018-07-02","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/So-you-want-to-be-a-racing-driver-feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/So-you-want-to-be-a-racing-driver-feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/so-you-want-to-be-a-racing-driver\/","about":["BLOG","LATEST CAR NEWS","MOTORSPORT"],"wordCount":984,"keywords":["Race Driver","Racing Driver","Rally Driver"],"articleBody":"How to become a racing driver in the elusive motorsport industryAs you sit on your sofa watching Lewis Hamilton race around a track at what seems like Mach 1, you wonder to yourself what it would be like if you were in the driver\u2019s seat instead of him. Well, it doesn\u2019t have to be just a dream, competing in motorsport is a perfectly achievable dream for anyone with a will strong enough and a wallet deep enough. Formula 1 may be a bit far-fetched, but there are plenty of other motorsports that are more accessible and feasible than you may think.How cheap can motorsport be?A great example of low-cost racing is Locost racing. This ridiculously cheap league of motor racing is all about small entry fees and cheap, yet fast, kit cars. Club membership is \u00a325 per year, season registration is \u00a3130 and second-hand cars that were built for the races can be bought from \u00a34,000. On top of these base fees, you\u2019ll have to pay around \u00a3245-\u00a3345 for double-header weekend entry fees (qualifying and 2 x 15 minute races).Image Credit:\u00a0sewc.co.ukSo all in all, these fees will cost you less than \u00a35,000 according to the website, which means that the whole thing is probably cheaper than a single wing mirror for a Formula 1 car. In fact, with these figures, motorsport can cost less than golf in some cases! Locost racing is just one example of budget motor racing. But, if you\u2019re open to the more unusual side of motorsport, you could race for even less! Examples such as lawnmower racing, banger racing, hatch racing and so on can also offer a similar experience and can cost even less!Motor racing – the expensive racesIf you\u2019re looking for something to fulfil your Formula 1 cravings then there are a range of motorsports to choose from, however, be prepared to dig deep in your wallet. Firstly, if you want to get serious, like career-level serious, you\u2019ll want to buy a course at a racing school and get a motor racing license. This will cost a few thousand pounds but will help put you ahead of the competition.As for actually competing, there are countless races that are just as fiercely competitive and skill-intensive as Formula 1, but as you would expect, they all cost a lot of money. Lewis Hamilton raced in Formula Renault and Formula 3, Jenson Button raced in Formula Ford and Formula 3, Peter Dumbreck also raced in Formula 3 and Formula Vauxhall. So if you\u2019re looking for the F1 experience, these are the races to aim for which require a large amount of financial sacrifice.For instance, Dumbreck spent \u00a330,000 of his own inheritance money to race the British Formula Vauxhall Junior championship and got none of it back. It\u2019s all about getting yourself noticed first.Motor racing – the less expensive racesApart from the already mentioned Locost, there are a few other well-known races that won\u2019t amount to the sum of a mortgage. The 5 Club MX5 Cup has a season entry fee of around \u00a32,750 and is great for MX-5 fans. There\u2019s also the CSCC Tin Tops Series which involves hot hatches no bigger than 2.0-litre – costing around \u00a33,500 for season entry.If you want to race a BMW on a budget, there\u2019s the BMW Racedays Compact Cup which is all about racing the old and cheap-to-buy 3 series compact. But if you really want to feel like an F1 driver, there\u2019s always the Ravenol Formula Vee Championship, where you\u2019ll be in what looks like a baby F1 car! The cars may cost a bit more and not be the fastest, with around only 100bhp, but they sure do look the part.Considered rally racing?You\u2019ve also got rally racing, known for spectacular scenes of dirt-covered cars skidding around corners at 70 miles per hour. Although WRC may be a long way away, all you need to get into rallying is a suitable car and the passion to drive.Autocross is known for its harsh terrain and tight corners, but don\u2019t let that make you think it\u2019s inaccessible to the weekend racer. Competing cars can vary from DIY car projects to professionally tuned and modified rally cars. Autocross isn\u2019t quite the pure rally experience as it often takes place in an open field and the track is laid out with cones. If you find yourself with a car and some spare time, you can enter an individual rally race for a taste of how the WRC champs must feel.But it doesn\u2019t end with car racing. For bike lovers, there are plenty of entry-level clubs and races, from BMX racing and motocross to sidecar racing and ice racing. There\u2019s boat racing (drag and circuit), crazy offroad hill climb racing, snowmobile racing and the list goes on.It always comes down to the money…Even if fees are incredibly low, motorsport can still cost an arm and a leg. Tyres are a major cost for race cars, especially if you\u2019re using slicks. The car itself is a large chunk of the cost and the parts and labour needed for maintenance is going to cost you as well. The list goes on with travelling to and from the tracks, buying a trailer for your race car, fuel costs, season entry fees and so on. If you want to do it as a career rather than a hobby, then you\u2019ve got even more work cut out for you.But all in all, if you want to be a racing driver, there\u2019s a motorsport for everyone and it doesn\u2019t have to cost you as much as you think it does. If you want to just get a taste for it before you commit, you could even just pay \u00a360 for a track experience day where you can have some fun in a Ferrari."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"So You Want To Be A Racing Driver?","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/so-you-want-to-be-a-racing-driver\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]