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How to become an F1 driver: Money, dedication, talent and more sponsors ...
F1 drivers need talent
First and foremost, drivers must have talent. The 20 racing seats available in Formula 1 racing are reserved for the best in the world, therefore every driver you see on the track will excel at racing.
That's the expectation in racing world ... here
Most F1 drivers will have started off their racing career participating at the very bottom of the motorsport ladder, in karting, from around the ages of 8-14 years, though some drivers start karting even as young as four or five years old.
Karting helps improve racing skills and shows which drivers have the potential to go further, initially into faster single-seater categories such as Formula Ford, Formula 4 or Formula Renault, Formula 3, Formula 2, finally Formula 1.
F1 drivers need lots of money 💰 🤑 💸
Unfortunately, motorsport is an expensive sport – and finance is one of the most prohibitive reasons why children at grassroots level stop competing or cannot even start in the first place.
From every level through karting up to Formula 1, the costs will be steep, and only become more expensive as they go through the categories.
What's the Difference Between F1, F2, F3, F4, and FE?
Formula 1 vs. Other Racing Series: What Sets F1 Apart from the Rest
Open-wheel racing (or formula racing, if you live outside of North America) is one of the most intense forms of motorsport there is. However, with all of the different classes of open-wheel racing that exist, it can be difficult to differentiate between them. The cars usually look pretty similar between the various classes, and the races aren't drastically different either.
Despite how it may appear at first glance, there are actually plenty of significant differences between the various levels of formula racing that exist today. The most obvious differences have to do with the performance levels of the cars in each class, with Formula 1 having the fastest, most expensive cars and Formula 4 having the slowest and least expensive.
Today, we'll be going over everything you'll need to know to tell the difference between the various types of formula racing. We'll be giving you a rundown of the cars, the races, and anything else you might be interested to learn. Let's get right into it!
Formula 1
Formula 1 is, of course, the highest tier of formula racing. Compared to the other levels of formula racing, Formula 1 cars are by far the most powerful, most technologically advanced, and fastest cars around.
Formula 1 is also the oldest tier of formula racing, with the first Formula 1 Grand Prix being held either in 1946 or 1947 (depending on what you consider to be the first "true" Grand Prix). And the world championship started from 1950.
Formula One Car, Cars
Formula 1 cars have used a wide variety of engines over the years, from inline 4s all the way up to V10s. These days, Formula 1 cars use a 1.6-liter single-turbo V6, but don't let the size of the engine fool you; these engines are massively powerful, and depending on how they're tuned, they can produce about 1,000 horsepower.
The cars themselves are mostly made from carbon fiber and other strong but lightweight materials. Each car needs to meet a minimum dry weight requirement; this requirement changes often, but as of the end of the 2021 Formula 1 season, the minimum weight of every F1 car must not be below 790 kg (this includes the weight of the driver).
Each Formula 1 team designs the chassis for their own cars. Each design has to comply with the established regulations, of course, but other than that the teams can come up with whatever designs they want.
Teams can't design their own engines, but they can buy an engine of their choice from one of four suppliers. Currently, the four engine suppliers in Formula 1 are Ferrari, Mercedes, Honda, and Renault.
For the past few years, Formula 1 cars have used hybrid powerplants, for both greater performance and increased efficiency. Modern Formula 1 cars have a small electric motor that can add about an extra 160 horsepower to the car's power figure when needed.
Formula 1 cars also use a kinetic energy recovery system, known as ERS-K. This system is able to save the kinetic energy lost during braking and supply it to the wheels later when more speed is needed.
Modern Formula 1 cars also use a drag reduction system, or DRS. This is basically just a panel on the car's rear wing that can be moved either up or down in order to increase or decrease drag. Drivers can only use their DRS on certain sections of each track, however.
Races
Formula 1 is an international race series, and as such races are held in locations all around the world. Each Formula 1 Grand Prix takes place over the course of a weekend, and consists of three practice sessions, one qualifying session, and the race itself.
The race weekend begins on Friday, and is divided as follows: on Friday, there are two practice sessions, on Saturday, there is a final practice session followed by the qualifying session, and on Sunday, the actual race is held.
During the qualifying session, drivers compete to try and set the fastest lap time. This is important, because the drivers' results from qualifying directly determines where drivers get to start on the grid. Obviously, being at the front of the grid is the most preferable, since it basically gives you a head start.
Formula 2
Formula 2 is, of course, the second highest tier of formula racing. Formula 2 is not nearly as popular as Formula 1, and while Formula 2 has been around for about as long as Formula 1, its existence has been somewhat sporadic. Over the years, Formula 2 has been retired or replaced by other race series on multiple occasions.
The current iteration of Formula 2 has only existed since 2017, when it replaced the old GP2 Series. The GP2 series was itself initially a separate series from the previous version of Formula 2, which was discontinued in 2012. GP2 cars used basically the same chassis as Formula 2 cars, but had more powerful engines.
If all this sounds confusing, then don't worry; it absolutely is confusing. Essentially, what you need to know is that Formula 2 has gone through a ton of changes over the years, but it has always been the penultimate tier of racing before Formula 1.
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F2 CarCarsUnlike Formula 1, where each team gets to design their own chassis and select one engine from a few different options, Formula 2 teams don't have nearily as much freedom. All Formula 2 teams have to use the same chassis and the same engine.
Since 2018, the chassis for all Formula 2 cars has been built by Dallara, who are also the chassis designers for the Haas Formula 1 team and the chassis suppliers for the IndyCar Series since 2007. The current engine in all Formula 2 cars is a 3.4-liter turbo V6 that makes about 620 horsepower.
Formula 2 cars are also lacking in some of the technology that Formula 1 cars have; namely, Formula 2 cars are missing the hybrid and ERS-K technology that helps make Formula 1 cars as quick as they are. However, since 2015, Formula 2 cars have included DRS.
While Formula 2 cars do weigh a bit less than Formula 1 cars, the lack of all this technology means that Formula 2 cars are typically about 10 seconds slower around any given track than Formula 1 cars.
Races
The race format of a Formula 2 race is also pretty different from how it is in Formula 1. Formula 2 races also take place over the course of a weekend, but the schedule is a lot different.
Instead of two practice sessions, on Friday there is one practice session and then a qualifying session. The racing actually begins on Saturday, but the full race event isn't held until Sunday; instead, there are two shorter sprint races.
The way the starting grid is determined for these sprint races is a bit unusual. It uses the placement of the drivers during qualifying, as you might expect, except the order of the top 10 drivers is reversed. For example, if a driver were to place 10th during qualifying, they would start at pole position for the first race.
For the actual race of the weekend (the feature race), the starting grid is determined by the original finishing position of the drivers during qualifying.
Formula 3
Formula 3, as you can guess, is one tier below Formula 2. If you're wondering why all of these different tiers of formula racing exist, most of them serve as "feeder series" for Formula 1. They provide drivers with a lot of the skills and experience they need to succeed in Formula 1, but at only a fraction of the cost.
Essentially, Formula 2 and Formula 3 are just training to try and get into Formula 1.
F3 CarCarsFormula 3 cars are pretty similar to Formula 2 cars, only differing slightly in their basic appearance. In addition, the chassis for Formula 3 cars are also constructed by Dallara, and Formula 3 cars also use the same 3.4-liter V6 engine that Formula 2 cars use.
However, the engine in Formula 3 cars is naturally aspirated, with no turbocharging. As a result, Formula 3 cars usually make between 380-400 horsepower. Formula 3 cars have been equipped with DRS since 2017, but they don't use any kind of hybrid technology.
Formula 3 cars are also lighter than either Formula 1 or Formula 2 cars, with a minimum weight requirement of about 670 kg including the driver and fluids.
Races
The race format of a Formula 3 race weekend is pretty similar to that of a Formula 2 race weekend. Friday starts off with a practice session and a qualifying session, Saturday consists of two sprint races, and Sunday holds the feature race.
The only minor difference between Formula 2 and Formula 3 is that for the sprint races, Formula 3 races base the order of the starting grid off of the top 12 drivers instead of the top 10.
Otherwise, it's exactly the same; the finishing order of the top 12 qualifying drivers is reversed for the first sprint race, and for the feature race, the original standings from the qualification session are used to determine who gets placed where on the grid.
Formula 4
Aside from Formula E, Formula 4 is the newest tier of formula racing that currently exists, with the first Formula 4 race being held in 2014. Formula 4 was conceived as a means of bridging the gap between kart racing and Formula 3, and is intended to be the least expensive type of formula race to take part in.
Unlike the other types of formula races, Formula 4 has no global championships. Instead, individual countries host their own championships. However, each championship has to comply to the same rules and regulations.
F4 CarCarsFormula 4 cars might look pretty similar to Formula 2 and Formula 3 cars, but they're actually quite different. For one, drivers hoping to enter a Formula 4 race aren't stuck with using the same chassis and engine as everyone else; they have a choice of four different chassis and six different engines.
There are four chassis suppliers and six engine suppliers for Formula 4. Teams can buy a chassis from Tatuus, Dome, Ligier, or Mygale, and engines from either Abarth, Ford, Geely, Honda, Renault, or TOM'S-Toyota.
Formula 4 cars can only use 4-cylinder engines with a maximum of 160 horsepower, but aside from that, pretty much anything goes. There's no limit in terms of what the engine's displacement can be (although all current Formula 4 engines are between 1.4 and 2 liters), and the engines can be either naturally aspirated or turbocharged.
Races
Because Formula 4 championships are hosted by individual countries, there are often differences in how exactly race weekends are formatted. In general, however, the format is pretty standard; practice sessions are held on Friday, with a qualifying session being held either late on Friday or early on Saturday.
It's usually pretty common for there to be three races during a Formula 4 race weekend. Unlike in Formula 2 and Formula 3, however, all three races are the same length.
Formula E
Last but certainly not least, we have Formula E. Formula E is another new racing series, with its first championship race being held in 2014. As the name implies, the cars that race in Formula E are fully electric.
Formula E Car
Cars
Formula E cars are probably the most distinctive formula cars, as their design makes them look more like IndyCars than formula racers. This makes sense, considering that Dallara has been the sole chassis constructor for Formula E from 2014 to 2021.
In the first season of Formula E, all teams were forced to use the same electric motor. However, since the second season, teams have been able to purchase a motor from nine different suppliers. All motors must produce the same amount of power though, and all teams must use the same kind of battery for their power supply.
Starting in 2022, power levels in Formula E cars will be restricted to 400 horsepower for races, and 470 horsepower for qualifying, which will be the highest power figures in Formula E yet.
Races
Formula E race weekends are a lot more similar to Formula 1 than any of the other formula races. Each race weekend consists of two practice sessions, a qualifying session, and one race.
The main difference between Formula E and Formula 1 is the duration of the races. While Formula 1 races are usually between 2-3 hours long, Formula E are only about 45 minutes. Other than that, the race format is essentially the same.
Money 💰 🤑 💸 💲 🪙 💶 Sponsors
Those who are lucky enough to own a kart to begin with will need to have enough money to address mechanical issues, to enter races and much more.
That’s why some drivers may never reach Formula 1 level, even if they are extremely talented.
It isn’t easy to find sponsors, and with the cost to enter races so high, even if you get sponsorship, drivers will normally have to find other ways to settle the costs on top.
Lewis Hamilton’s father Anthony famously worked multiple jobs to help fund Lewis’ racing career at a young age, while networking as much as possible to help him find sponsorship.
Sometimes, money can be what helps propel some drivers into a Formula 1 seat over others, if they bring enough sponsorship backing with them for the team to receive investment as well.
Known as ‘pay drivers’, these drivers often do not receive the same salary as others on the grid, but their value to the team is helped enormously through a combination of talent and money to add to the team’s coffers.
Smaller teams have traditionally made more use of pay drivers over the decades in Formula 1, with every penny earned in sponsorship helping them develop their cars.
F1 drivers need fitness
Formula 1 drivers must be incredibly fit in mind and body to be able to withstand the 5G of force a car can experience when it enters a corner at high speed lap after lap.
Today’s F1 drivers are some of the best athletes in the world – they are super fit and often enter athletics and sports competitions between racing seasons.
Racing drivers need to be strong and resilient to be able to withstand the forces they are subjected to on the track and successfully complete the race.
In very hot races, the inside of the cockpit can become overheated meaning a driver loses around 3kg (7lb) of fluid in one race, with Singapore being the toughest physical challenge of the year through the length of the race and the humidity the drivers experience.
F1 drivers also need strong arms and neck muscles to control the vehicle in long races and they will often perform exercises that improve hand-eye coordination, concentration, and reaction time.
Some teams and drivers have posted social media videos of reaction tests they do and pre-race warm-ups to illustrate the physical prowess required to drive a modern Formula 1 car.
F1 drivers need dedication and determination
Becoming a racing driver takes up a lot of time and requires a lot of dedication.
Even if drivers are not at Formula 1 level, they will be expected to dedicate most of their time to getting there.
Weekends will be taken up with competing in races, while some of the races will require extensive travel.
After the races, drivers will be expected to analyse their race data to see where they might have gone wrong and where they could improve.
Drivers will also need to visit the gym regularly to maintain fitness ready for the next race and attend regular meetings with sponsors.
Time spent with friends and family will be regularly sacrificed, due to the years of their lives the drivers will have to put into rising through the categories in a bid to put themselves in position to be selected for a Formula 1 seat.
F1 drivers need an FIA Super Licence
To become a Grand Prix racing driver, drivers will have to possess a FIA Racing Super Licence, allowing the licensee to compete in the Formula 1 World Championship.
To apply for a Super Licence, drivers will need to pass the following criteria:
1●Be over 18 years old
2●Be an international class competition licence holder
3●Possess a valid driver’s licence in your country of origin
4●Pass an FIA theory test on Formula 1 sporting regulations
5●Complete 80% of two seasons in qualifying single-seater championships
6●Accumulate 40 Super Licence Points over 3 seasons in any qualifying championship
7●Possess a licence score
We have already put together a comprehensive guide on the FIA Super Licence, available below, and how prospective F1 drivers can gather points, with that being a potentially lengthy process on its own.
F1 drivers can join F1 teams’ junior driver academies
Once you are in a team in a junior series, you may be lucky enough to get into a driver academy attached to a Formula 1 outfit.
The driving academies scout for new young drivers and train them with the end goal of a graduation to Formula 1.
Getting into an academy can elevate you up the ranks quicker as it provides expert coaching designed to train F1 drivers of the future, as well as crucial financial backing that can help propel young drivers forward.
Red Bull have arguably been the most productive team when it comes to producing young F1 drivers since they joined the grid in the mid-2000s, with Toro Rosso/AlphaTauri/RB serving as a proving ground for the ‘senior’ team and a host of drivers having made their way through the ranks, with Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel having gone on to become World Champions through their system.
Joining the junior team of a constructor already on the F1 grid is not a guaranteed way of getting a drive, but it certainly doesn’t hurt your chances either.
Lewis Hamilton responds to conspiracy theory over Mercedes strategy ‘frustrations’
Lewis Hamilton insists “things are cool” between him and Mercedes having revealed his “anger” as the team pushed him to start on the soft tyres in Singapore 🇸🇬 .
Delivering in qualifying at the Marina Bay circuit, Hamilton lined up third on the Singapore Grand Prix grid with his team-mate George Russell in fourth.
Lewis Hamilton: Make no mistake though, things are cool with the team
But Hamilton’s joy turned to “anger” and “frustration” when Mercedes decided to split the drivers’ strategies and start him on the soft Pirellis.
“I was a bit perplexed by it,” he revealed, “because in the past, when we’ve ever been in that position… Normally if George has qualified well like he normally does, and I’m out of the top 10 or something, then we’ll split the strategies, but we were so close. It didn’t make sense to me.
“So I battled as hard as I could to fight to go on the medium tyre, but the team continued to suggest that I started on the soft.”
He did so but the strategy backfired as he didn’t make up positions off the line and was then one of the first needing to pit, eventually crossing the line in sixth place while Russell, who lined up on the mediums, maintained his P4.
Mercedes’ technical director James Allison later acknowledged the strategic error, calling it a “clear mistake.”
“We shouldn’t have started on the softs – that was a mistake,” Allison stated. “If we could turn back time, we would do what those around us did and select the mediums… Just a clear mistake.”
Lewis Hamilton vs George Russell: Mercedes F1 2024 head-to-head stats
Mercedes’ decision to start Hamilton on the soft tyres was widely panned as the wrong call with conspiracies swirling online over his treatment by the team ahead of his switch to Ferrari.
He took to Instagram to calm the waters, adding that he “ultimately agreed” with the soft tyre strategy.
“Hey all,” he posted on social media.
“I know there has been a lot of chat around the last one and our strategy in Singapore which just didn’t work.
“When that happens it’s natural to be frustrated and easy for me to speak out in that frustration.
“We knew starting on soft tyres was a bold and risky move but one that could give us an advantage at the start and I ultimately agreed with that recommendation.
“We also miscalculated what others might do.
“Make no mistake though, things are cool with the team.
“As with all successful partnerships, you have have some lows to have the highs.
“We’re not afraid of those tricky conversations and challenging moments which is why we have achieved so much together.
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