Getting into Formula 1

[Gaider]

Lets just say you were an aspiring formula 1 driver.
Is 22 years old too old to get into the sport?

Disadvantaged as you may be for not riding go-karts since aged 5, if you have the skills, where does one go to show them and get the attention of somebody in charge of hiring?

Its something rarely spoken about.
Is the go-karting clubs the place to go? Some kind of tournament?

[Evolve]

I hate to stamp on peoples dreams, but yes, 22 years old, with no experience, reputation, or any kind of financial backing has no chance of reaching F1.

Remember these guys have spent their WHOLE lives learning how to master each class, so finally when the big day comes and they move up into F1 in whatever position from test driver to #1 driver, they have VAST experience in all kinds of racing.

Even Lewis Hamilton said driving an F1 car is a whole other animal, and he's been competitively racing his whole life. And remember Richard Hammond on Top Gear? He drives high end supercars regularly and he could barely even get the car around the track, let alone race it.

I think the only way is start young, win consistently in every class, build a reputation and progress until a rare few get picked as test drivers, then sometimes, if they are very good, F1 drivers.

[Gaider]

You think 22 is too old to get into it and try do you think?
I may just go to a karting tournament and see what happens, if i show promise i may take it further but if i suck i'll just leave it as a hobby.

[DJNinja]

Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do anything, it's only impossible if you don't try. Lance Armstrong beat Stage 3 testicular cancer, lost one of his balls. Everyone said that there was no way he would win the tour de France. So he proved them wrong, won one, then went on to do it six more times. With one nut missing.

But keep in mind, to get to that level of competition, you will have to make significant sacrifices of time and money

[Ice]

Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do anything, it's only impossible if you don't try. Lance Armstrong beat Stage 3 testicular cancer, lost one of his balls. Everyone said that there was no way he would win the tour de France. So he proved them wrong, won one, then went on to do it six more times. With one nut missing.

But keep in mind, to get to that level of competition, you will have to make significant sacrifices of time and money

Respect this. Impossible is nothing.

[Gaider]

I've always felt like although im missing years of experience i do have a natural ability. I had been in a mock race once, i was the youngest and cam 1st in the first half of the race then we had a 15 minute break. I got black flagged ( i didn't know first lap you drive around slow) and was right at the back again. I finished the race 3rd, there were 20+ karts on the track!

[Evolve]

Ok yeah, Lance Armstrong has done amazing things, but the difference is, he worked his whole life to get to that point. His history goes something like...

1987 - Competes as a sponsored athlete in triathlons, making him a professional athlete at 16.

1989 - Focusing on cycling, Lance qualifies to train with the U.S. Olympic developmental team in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Competes at the Junior World Championships in Moscow.

1991 - Becomes U.S. National Amateur champion.

1992 - Finishes 14th in the individual road race at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Future teammate, Fabio Casartelli, wins the event.

Signs with a professional cycling team, Motorola, and finishes last in his first professional race, the Classico San Sebastian

1993 - Wins ten titles including the U.S. Pro Championship, and stage 8 in the Tour de France, and at 22 is the youngest road racing world champion ever.

By 25 he's world #1.

And yeah, people probably did say he'd never come back, but look at the facts - he'd spent his whole life working at this, he's got his training right, nutrition, motivation, can perform under pressure, moving up the ranks, working hard, winning, and he was already world number 1 when he was diagnosed with cancer. So yeah, it's incredible to look at his record, but it's a lifelong pursuit, not something he woke up one day aged 22 and decided to do.

Look, like I say, I HATE to say you can't, because IT'S POSSIBLE. But you'd have to legit be INSANELY TALENTED, lucky, and work your ass off from now until you get there. The guys you'd be competing against would have wanted this their entire lives, and worked hard, and made sacrifices everyday.

I do too believe anything is possible, but at the same time, be real. I hate watching shit like 'X Factor' and some douche comes out with their whole families backing, sings like shit, then says 'I KNOW I can do this, you're all wrong! You'll see! Anything is possible!'

That's just outright delusion, and they're chasing something that will never happen for them. If their families REALLY respected them, they'd be honest, and tell them the truth. Rather than see them follow a path that leads nowhere.

See what i'm saying?

But love to see you prove me wrong, so hit the go-kart track for some fun and see how you feel. Get into some real competitive races, see if you can perform under pressure, and see where it leads.

[Gaider]

Yeah. i know where you are coming from.
I'm just gonna see where it leads.

[KingOfAces]

the lance armstrong argument is moot. the guy just got banned from cycling for life and is having all his championships taken away because he was on steroids.



both sides of this argument have valid points.

think big and dream big. have goals and pursue them. don't settle for a mediocre life.

that being said, don't be retarded. i'm not saying you are gaider, i'm just making a general point.

too many people go from having no confidence, to going off the deep end the other way. and that happens a lot in pickup. guys learn some stuff and improve their life, but then they lose touch with reality. guess what? if you are 35 years old and have never played basketball in your life and are 5'3"? you will NEVER become an NBA player. NEVER. and if you were to set your goals on this, the people that say "yeah! you can do it!" are not supporting you. they are just encouraging you to be delusional. there is a big difference between working hard for something that you really want, and doing something that makes no sense.

for you UK guys...i will never be the king of england. no matter how hard i try.

i'm not even touching on your question, cause i don't know much about racing. just felt this needed to be said after reading this thread.

have goals. strive for them. work hard. don't give up.

but don't get in a fantasy world and lose touch with reality.

[Gaider]

Very True King.

To be honest im taking my mid-life crisis very early at the age of 22. You see i've always had a plan i would go into aviation. My scholarship collapsed once the banks went bust. I had a guarenteed placement as a first officer Pilot at Flybe flying their new fleet of aircraft.

I've always had the notion i would have a 6-figure salary. Now i am stuck in a likely dead end job with no prospects and enjoyment in the work i will now be doing. I guess i'm trying to find my fortune elsewhere. The only reason i'm inquiring as erratically and as spontaneously as this was because the recruiter at PTC said my results were off the charts and that i had the aptitude for a military fast jet pilot. Unfortunately by the time it takes me to get the grades i would have missed that opportunity. I guess its all been my fault though, i didn't go after it as hard as i should have.

I think i am just going to chill for a while and still do racing but for a hobby, maybe go gliding if i have a few spare £s to spend. I'm just going to live life and maybe if i get god at a hobby or develop an idea i could turn that into a career. Until then i am just going to live until i get some inspiration and some sense of direction and purpose.

I feel my life does lack direction, i have no sense of where i am going in life and this terrifies me.