How Do Most Drivers Get Into FIA Championships?

[Crispy]

This is a question I'd like to really know mostly because I enjoy cars and driving them, and would really love to join a sort of racing leuge. I've heard that the FIA GT3 is for more novice drivers, so thats the one I would really like to join.

I know its a long shot, but it seems like fun. Of course I would need to go to college so if it doesn't work out I have something to fall back onto.

I also know I can't go up to them and say, I'd like to join FIA GT3, and be done. SO how would one do this?

 

[MitchZ06]

Have you got a ton of money behind you? Have you excelled at junior motorsports? If you cant tick either of those boxes you'll have .000000000000000000000000000000001 chance of getting into it.

 

[Clark]

Have you actually thought about that in any depth? FIA GT3 may have some non-professional drivers but they're still bloody good.

Liking driving cars doesn't mean you're good. There's plenty of grass-roots motorsports you need to start in if you want to. But even they can be pretty expensive.

 

[freedomweasel]

I believe the saying goes:
"If you want to make a small fortune in racing start with a large one"

ie: Even if you are ridiculously good, you have to be ridiculously wealthy, or good at finding sponsors.

No offence meant, but FIA GT3 most likely isn't happening for you. SCCA racing would be a good bet. Spec miata, Spec E30, etc. Even something like Chump Car or Lemons would be good.

 

[Peterram430]

A brief plan of action based on UK/European series, taking no consideration of the substantial costs and other barriers that would need to be overcome.

1) Race license (obviously)
2) Club level MX-5 championship or similar to start you off in racing
3) Club level Lotus championship or similar to get some experiance of more powerful mid engined cars
4) Maybe britcar or somthing?
5) Porsche Carrera cup or similar
6) FIA GT4
7) FIA GT3

Expect this to be very expensive and not to make a living out of it unless you're exceptionally good enough to get large sponsors to pay for your costs.

 

[gogatrs]

Just wait for next year's GTAcademy.
BTW, peterram, who said the quote in your sig?

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Quote would be from Steve McQueen in "LeMans".

 

[gogatrs]

Quote would be from Steve McQueen in "LeMans".

That's what I thought at first.
But I only recognized the last two sentences.
Used that one on my Mom yesterday.

 

[Jim Prower]

Get a kart.

 

[gogatrs]

Get a kart.

Even that costs thousands of dollars.
It's not JUST the kart you have to buy.
You have to get a stand, trailer, pay for practice days, tires, tools, fuel, storage, etc.
Yes it's cheaper than cars, but not by much.

 

[Jim Prower]

It's still the best way. One of the inexpensive "spec" classes...hell, find a local track that runs Briggs Animal or Raptor motors. As well, you can weld together your first chassis if you have the talent, or use a pre-built chassis. You dont' need a KF1 to start with, just something simple.

Otherwise, get a Miata, run Spec Miata. You're not gonna get into racing without spending money. "Speed costs money - how fast do you want to go?"

 

[Prince.M5]

To be in the world of motorsport you need to have a lot of money and backings. Motorsports nowadays isn't like it was long time ago. People that time don't look at money, they want pure talent but nowadays, it's vice versa.

The best way to start is through Karting. Start slowly, get some success there and there'll be a chance to move to some sort of Touring Car. Then perhaps to GT or according to the way it goes... To be in the FIA GT3 is very tough. Even getting into GT4 is tough. The only way is, as I said money, sponsorship and some experience in the junior series. Otherwise, it wouldn't happen...

 

[niky]

If you haven't been karting since you were a kid, it will be very tough, considering that most teams looking to give "scholarships" (or whatever you might call a paid seat) will be looking for a young driver they can mold for themselves.

There are some very, very, VERY talented people out there filling the ranks of amateur classes, who've spent a lot of their own money to get to where they are. People who spend every spare cent on tires and gas money to tow their car/kart/whatever to the next event and who sleep out of a suitcase. It's a lifestyle.

If you're not fabulously wealthy, you'll have to sacrifice as much as they have, at least, to have a chance of making it and being noticed.

 

[ckellyusa]

To the OP, if you're really serious about racing, come talk to me. It's not car racing, but karting is the best option we currently have to start out and while it was pointed out it isn't cheap, it's no where near the cost of car racing. I live in Plano and race karts just about every other Saturday. It helps to have a team to help share costs too, so let me know if you're interested; our next race is June 12th.

 

[JJ72]

This is a question I'd like to really know mostly because I enjoy cars and driving them, and would really love to join a sort of racing leuge. I've heard that the FIA GT3 is for more novice drivers, so thats the one I would really like to join.

I know its a long shot, but it seems like fun. Of course I would need to go to college so if it doesn't work out I have something to fall back onto.

I also know I can't go up to them and say, I'd like to join FIA GT3, and be done. SO how would one do this?

Bring a million euro onto the table.

Good luck falling back to that if college doesn't work out. 👍

 

[McLaren]

This is a question I'd like to really know mostly because I enjoy cars and driving them, and would really love to join a sort of racing leuge. I've heard that the FIA GT3 is for more novice drivers, so thats the one I would really like to join.

Not quite. In fact, a few of the GT3 drivers are from the FIA GT races as well. A lot of guys go back & forth just like 1or 2 of the Sprint Cup guys will participate in the earlier Nationwide races.

I also know I can't go up to them and say, I'd like to join FIA GT3, and be done. SO how would one do this?

You can if you have a team, a car, & a lot of money. Just don't expect anything great besides a spot in the back of the grid.

Even that costs thousands of dollars.
It's not JUST the kart you have to buy.
You have to get a stand, trailer, pay for practice days, tires, tools, fuel, storage, etc.
Yes it's cheaper than cars, but not by much.

Karts can be a LOT cheaper than cars. Almost everything you listed gets even more expensive with a full-size automobile.

 

[ckellyusa]

^ Do you race karts around here too? I want to put a team together dammit! haha

 

[Crispy]

^ Do you race karts around here too? I want to put a team together dammit! haha

Me and my friend rented a Kart a while ago. Though we are young. It was a very great blast. We won our only race too. I'm only a little North of you guys.

 

[ckellyusa]

Well if anyone in the area is interested. I have a race on June 12th in Denton. Qualifying starts at 1 pm. If you stick around till the end, you can take rides in our karts to try it out and then you know later, buy your own and come racing! We should be done around 5:30 - 6.

They also opened the new track 45 min east of Plano, and they have decently fast rental karts as well.

Let's race!!!

 

[Bram Turismo]

Just wait for next year's GTAcademy.

This.

I'll be following this year's winner to see what'll happen to him, but all in all it's amazing how you can go from playing Gran Turismo to racing with a Nissan Z at Dubai to a full ALMS season a year later.

 

[Pezzarinho17]

I am from the UK and VERY fortunate to live and work either side of a F1 simulator centre. I work there on Saturdays now which is funding my entry in this years championship. Its a great league which is combating the main aspect listed by just about everyone in this thread - money. Yes it still costs SOMETHING (a race meet is £40, plus 30 minutes practice beforehand at £20 = £60 a round) but comparing that to go-karting even, its far more affordable. Although its simulated cars and tracks, the racing is very much real and great for people like us - frustrated racing drivers.

This is no way is to detract from those in go-karting either, but if all goes well on the go-kart scene then you may find the funds to move up the racing ladder, and driving the simulators will develop the skills required to get a good return on that investment.

 

[Clark]

This.

I'll be following this year's winner to see what'll happen to him, but all in all it's amazing how you can go from playing Gran Turismo to racing with a Nissan Z at Dubai to a full ALMS season a year later.

Since when was Lucas Ordonez doing a full ALMS season?

 

[Northstar]

Since when was Lucas Ordonez doing a full ALMS season?

I think he meant ILMC.

 

[Speedster502]

A brief plan of action based on UK/European series, taking no consideration of the substantial costs and other barriers that would need to be overcome.

1) Race license (obviously)
2) Club level MX-5 championship or similar to start you off in racing
3) Club level Lotus championship or similar to get some experiance of more powerful mid engined cars
4) Maybe britcar or somthing?
5) Porsche Carrera cup or similar
6) FIA GT4
7) FIA GT3

Expect this to be very expensive and not to make a living out of it unless you're exceptionally good enough to get large sponsors to pay for your costs.

Firstly a disclaimer, I'm not a racing driver and have no experience, but I have followed several drivers and observed their rise to GT championships before.

I'd say this was probably the most accurate, however I'd throw in a couple more championships.

1 - Karting (This is optional, not all racing drivers do it)
2 - Race License
3 - Club Level motorsport such as BARC, Production BMW's etc.
4 - Slightly higher level club motorsport such as GT Cup.
5 - British GT/Iber GT/French GT, wherever.
6 - FIA GT4
7 - High class one make series such as Ferrari's, Lamborghini Trofeo etc
8 - FIA GT3

However, it must be noted GT3 is not for novices. Sometimes the racing they have is more competitive and more close than the higher class GT racing championships. The cars may well be easier to driver than a GT1 car for example but that means the differences in drivers is very much noticeable.

Personally, I wouldn't wait for GT Academy, if you want to do it put your heart and soul into getting yourself to that level. No offence to Lucas or any of the other Academy winners but essentially they just got lucky, that said Lucas in particular is a good racing driving but as mentioned before did have prior experience. Besides, GT Academy doesn't secure a GT3 drive.

 

[lbsf1]

You need to really do karting if you want to get to high level motorsport (you can go other ways but karting is by far the easiest). You need lots of skill and at LEAST 50k for a season of a national champs (you need to be that level to get a chance of being spotted). However first you would need to do multiple years before that to get experiance.

Then you NEED sponsor ship to get to the next level (formula ford, or touring car (ginetta?). You need at least a season in that to gain the experiance and do well to get to the next stage.

Touring car, or maybe a novice drive in fia gt4.

Bear in mind that if at any point sponsorship pulls out you are stuffed. It happened to Lewis in his last gp2 race and his dad had to put his companies money in to get him through the race. It happened to Chandok in HRT.

Good drivers may not get spotted. Gordon shedden was just as good has hamilton maybe better and he is is in btcc. Lewis is in f1. When Button was testing for williams it was either him or this guy called Bruno. Bruno was just as tallented however didn't get the drive, he now races trucks in Brazil.

Trust me mate you are probably not going to make it big in racing. You are to late and not rich enough. Even compared to Hamilton's karting days the costs are so much higher. To race european karts you need at least 100,000.

 

[Bram Turismo]

Since when was Lucas Ordonez doing a full ALMS season?

ALMS, ILMC, it's all the same. The guy drove the 12 hours of Sebring, the 6 hour race at Spa and he will be driving at Le Mans.

 

[gogatrs]

ALMS, ILMC, it's all the same. The guy drove the 12 hours of Sebring, the 6 hour race at Spa and he will be driving at Le Mans.

Sebring was a race that involved BOTH the ALMS and ILMC.
Lucas is driving in the ILMC, not ALMS.

 

[F1 fan]

Sebring was a race that involved BOTH the ALMS and ILMC.
Lucas is driving in the ILMC, not ALMS.

I know which one I'd rather be driving in.