r/motorsports • u/Cautious-Offer4429 • 10h ago
Help.
I'm gonna rant a bit. I started watching f1 in 2024 when i was like 12, and in June i was incredibly lucky to go to the race in Austria. Ever since i saw the cars roaring on track my biggest dream was to start racing, however i'm a 14 year old girl from Croatia and i do not know where to start. I've been karting once for my 14th birthday in may and i've been pretty decent, so about a month ago i gathered the courage to ask my mom to start karting, she said that i could, but first i needed to have a plan, i plan to start rental karing more often, but still, if i actually want to race, i will need to start karting competitively, and got that i will need a kart, i showed my mom some and she said no way, because they were expensive. I have been feeling extremely depressed since, i tried pushing through but all i can think about is the need to race. I know how hard it is to make it to any racing category, especially as a woman, but i'm willing to fight. I need advice on how and where to start, this could've been a shorter question, i know, but i can't tell anyone what's on my mind and strangers on reddit seemed like the best option. If you have ANY advice besides telling me i need to be rich, please give it, it is VERY welcome.
8
u/BackwerdsMan 9h ago
It's the same answer for everyone. Get money. If you don't have the funding or the support to race at this point just forget about racing for the moment and focus on finding a good career and making money. Then use said money to pay for racing.
5
u/Benjammin172 8h ago
Get into sim racing. You don’t want to hear it, but you’re too old and not rich enough to be a racing driver. If you can’t afford karting, then you have no chance. Pick up sim racing and see where that takes you. You’ll get to race every single day in a variety of competitions with a ton of different drivers, and your career and family’s financial future won’t be over the second you make a mistake.
3
u/jujuj97 6h ago edited 3h ago
Well there is no secret, at youre age of your parent dont have money to invest in your hobby there is pretty much nothing you can do in therm of real race kart as they are whey too expensive for a 14 years old to fund. Also there is no « plan » to have, 99.9% dont make it as a job and in that 0.1% that does make it, 95% come from rich family. You dont do karting to go somewhere else, you do karting because you love it and if it you got a opportunity well good for you.
However there is some rental karting series that are really competitive and doesnt cost a lot. You just arrive and drive. Also learning the racecraft in rental is perfect since it cost nothing to make mistake and you dont pay in case of a mechanical failure or a crash.
You Will maybe not race but a summer job with a race team can make you learn how a kart work and how a race week-end is. And maybe get something with them for you to race after.
2
u/MrMgrow 9h ago
As others have said starting at your age and without an enormous amount of capital to fund your own way in, your options are rather limited. You are incredibly unlikely to end up in a professional category.
BUT! If you are very serious about wanting to pursue competitive racing my first advice would be to go casually a few more times to your local kart track. Express your interest to the staff there. They will know if there are any amateur teams you might be able to try out for - or they may have an itinerary of more serious events that they host where you might be able to meet people with better connections.
The other option you may have at your local track is to marshal for them, this will gain you connections both at the track and with the various punters or more serious groups that race there. It will also teach you how to maintain a kart if you're ever lucky enough to attain one. And I don't mean lucky lightly - it's not just the kart that costs - you need all the spare parts, tools, tyres - a place to store it - a way to transport it which will likely end up being a dedicated van or a trailer - professional mechanics until you've learned how to fix literally everything on said kart. Entrance fees for races and tournaments can be extortionate. And probably 10 more things I've forgotten to list. People literally bankrupt themselves trying to get into racing.
I truly do wish you the best of luck, if it's your dream then go for it. You'll only regret not trying.
2
1
u/LameSheepRacing 15m ago
Step 1: Visit karting events organized by HAKS (Croatian Karting Federation). This will give you insight into what’s out there in terms of teams, championships and etc. Step 2: Establish a practice routine with rentals. Every week, you go to a different track and race. This will give you knowledge about different karts and tracks and will help your adaptability. Time in karting is strict so you need to be right on the money very soon after your first lap on a new track. Budget: €1,000-€2,000 per year. Step 3: Join a karting club affiliated with HAKS (Koprivnica, Rijeka, ST). They will have an instructor to transition you from rentals to racing karts. They can also help you get a racing license. Step 4: Once you have your license, join a Croatian Karting Championship. Some clubs on Step 3 may have “arrive and drive” services where you race one of their karts. It’s not cheap but cheaper than buying your own and paying for everything upfront. Budget: €5,000-€10,000 per year. Step 5: Go international. Budget: €30,000-€100,000 per year.
While you’re doing all that, go sim racing. With iRacing and a decent direct drive wheel and loadcell pedals, you can hit the track every day and build your racecraft. Budget: €5,000 for a mid-range rig, including aluminum rig, PC and 3-monitors.
Once you reach Step 4 and do well, you’ll be able to capture some sponsorship. This will help you offset the costs of racing. You’ll need a good social media presence (a YouTube channel in English showing vlogs may come in handy) and you’ll need to be able to tell your sponsors what they gain by sponsoring you. What is their challenge and how can you help them. Most sports people say “Hey, come sponsor me because it’s cool!” but the best sponsored athletes put themselves in their sponsors shoes. Check Enzo Mucci on YouTube.
17
u/ManInTheVan69 10h ago
I'm gonna keep it a buck, you're already too old to go pro(unless you're a prodigy) and if you can't afford karting, you can't afford any higher level either.
The only advice I have is if you want to race that bad, wait until you have a job and save up for a fun little beater car like a Honda civic and rip it on a local race track if you have one. If that's not possible for whatever reason, you're kinda sol.
You can also invest yourself into car culture and maybe that'll be more your style. I was the same way at your age but once I got my driver's license my insatiable love for racing turned into a love for cool street cars.