The costs to compete in the feeder series of Motorsport are increasingly rising and it may become a problem for many young drivers.
Motorsport is experiencing a period of increased popularity, with not only Formula 1 but also many other racing series gaining fame in recent years. However, certain aspects of car racing are often overlooked. One of the most crucial of these behind-the-scenes elements is the costs involved in the feeder series.
The sport is very expensive. For the fans, who sometimes struggle with increasing ticket prices year after year and also for those who decide to make a career out of it. Behind a child’s dream to become a driver, there are a lot of sacrifices that a family must make.
The costs of feeder series
The passion for racing stars at a young age. If a family wants to have the means to help their child cultivate their dreams, the first step is karting. There are various championships, which differ by country and age range. Even if karts are not fully completed racing cars and are not as complex as single-seaters, it does not mean that the championships are not characterized by intense competition.
In addition, the expenses associated with being part of a karting team are quite high. According to a survey taken by Reuters in 2010, a season of karting in a European championships costs around $200,000. And that was just 2010!
This is just the beginning. If after karts a driver wants to progress to a higher series, they must raise as much funding as possible. A season in F4 costs approximately $500,000, although the price may vary depending on the specific series. The most renowned is the Italian F4, but GB4 and the Spanish series are also very competitive.
From here the path of the driver may differ. Those who have the talent and are supported by good management or an Academy could get directly into Formula 3. However, the most common journey is to race in Formula Regional, the last step before the FIA Championships.
Both in Formula 3 and Formula 2, the costs are very high. Facing them without a junior program is becoming more and more difficult for the driver. Racing a season in F3 costs around 1 million dollars, in Formula 2, the costs could exceed 2 million dollars.
The difficulties behind a racing career
Racing is not only based on the determination of a driver. To race high sacrifices must be made from a young age. The drivers come from all over the world. Sometimes they leave their home countries very young, leaving their families behind to race in Europe. Juan Manuel Correa has often spoken of the efforts his family had to make in order to get him to move to Italy and pursue his dream.
Some young drivers are able to show their talent and attract the attention of an Academy. It is a very important opportunity for them. The F1 team takes on the responsibility of covering about half of the expenses that racing in a series entails. A great help considering that not all these children are part of families able to cover all these expenses.
But often, even the help of an Academy is not enough. One example is Zak O’Sullivan, a member of the Williams Driver Academy, who had to leave the Formula 2 grid due to a lack of funds. Franco Colapinto, currently a Williams driver, has often said that his arrival in F2 was not granted, given the high costs that could have deprived him of the step-up.
The opinion of the drivers
Among the drivers who have spoken on the budget needed to race in Formula 2 (and in Motorsport in general) there is also the newcomer Oliver Goethe, a member since 2023 of the Red Bull Junior Program:
“It’s super expensive to race in the feeder series nowadays, especially F2. It’s the most expensive one. So to come up with the budget it always takes a lot. Thankfully, this year Red Bull is helping on the financial side, but also supporting me on the driver preparation and other aspects. It’s a lot of money and it’s a big commitment for sure.” – Oliver Goethe to LWOS.
F2 VAR driver Rafael Villagomez has spoken about the financial difficulties that racing in one of the most expensive series in the world brings with it:
“Racing has become quite expensive. I think we’ve seen a lot of drivers not able to continue due to a lack of budget. I must say that coming from South America, there is quite a bit of opportunity because there are a lot fewer drivers in the grid. So in terms of finding sponsors, it’s a little bit – I’m not going to say easy but – easier compared to European drivers. It is true that Drive to Survive has made it easier for some drivers to find sponsors, as F1’s exposure is massive now. So I can see a difference. A couple of years ago, not a lot of people knew about F1. From last year, almost everyone knows about F1 and they’re starting to look at F2. So that’s made it easier for the drivers for sure.” – Rafael Villagomez to LWOS.
While in F1 and junior series, they are looking for as many talents as possible for the next generational change, some of these are forced to not be able to show their potential. This is due to the other costs of the feeder series. Motorsport will always be one of the most expensive sports in the world. For all the work it requires both on track and in the factory. However, a stabilization of the costs must be found to make sure that as many drivers as possible can express their talent and we can find the World Champions of the future.
