So you want a career in motorsports?

By Carol Trehearn | Many people who want to get a job in Formula 1 want to become a mechanic or engineer, however, for some, the dream is to become a professional racing car driver. If you’re looking for a driving career in motorsports, it’s important to bear in mind that the industry is hugely competitive, and the road to becoming a successful racing car driver is one that can be long and excruciatingly tiring.

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Along with that, being successful in any sport definitely requires a large amount of commitment and dedication, everyone knows that. However, when it comes to Formula 1 and other motorsports, a huge amount of financial backing is also required. If you think that you have what it takes to pursue a career in motorsports, here’s what you need to do.

Where to begin

It’s impossible to simply become a Formula 1 driver overnight – you will need to work your way up the high-end racing ladder. One of the best ways to do this is to start with karting, which is a great way to get a taste of motorsports and of generally being a racing driver, along with the fact that it is relatively cheap and accessible. Many top racing drivers started off with karting, including Lewis Hamilton. However, karting is still a very serious form of motorsport and it’s definitely not for the faint-hearted, so it can be a great way of figuring out whether becoming a racing driver is for you or not, whether you’re a natural or a learner.

There are a number of different routes to Formula 1, but they all involve climbing up different rungs of the ladder and progressing gradually as a driver until you meet the required standards.

The ladder itself

Once you have decided to work to further your racing career, you will move up each season into higher categories of racing as well as driving faster, more powerful cars each time. There are a number of different routes to Formula 1, but they all involve climbing up different rungs of the ladder and progressing gradually as a driver until you meet the required standards. This process could take years, and how long you will spend in each category on your journey to Formula 1 will depend on how successful you are as a racer.

What you definitely need to put in

Becoming a professional driver in motorsports is not at all easy, and will require a lot of work, effort and dedication on your part. Professional racing drivers put a lot of work into getting to where they are today, and this doesn’t just include practicing on the tracks either – they also need to be in tremendous physical condition, which means working out regularly, eating well or even playing another sport such as those offered as scholarships by asmscholarships.com. Since so much work goes into making it as a professional racing driver, it’s vital to have enough financial backing for things such as practice, which can often cost a lot. But, if you have the skill, drive, determination and money, there’s no reason why you can’t make it in motorsports. You might need a tiny bit of luck too.