To enter Formula one, is age 16 too late of an age to start go-karting?
June 4th, 2007 • Related • Filed Under
asher j asked:
I’ve noticed that a lot of Formula one drivers started go karting when they were like 6 years old, im wondering if i can start now.
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I’ve noticed that a lot of Formula one drivers started go karting when they were like 6 years old, im wondering if i can start now.
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Comment by topher f on 7 June 2007:
ya its way to late since your 16 you should be smoking crack and drinking beers, f1 racing is only for 6 year olds
Comment by Renaultfan on 8 June 2007:
It is probably too late to start if you have high expectations about a F1 career around the age at which drivers like Alonso were succesful. Raikkonen started late, raced only 23 times before entering F1 and he has been the “nearly man” for some time now.
There are drivers that came into F1 late and were succesful, like Damon Hill (the most recent example). He started racing in F1 at the age of 31. If you have the skill, try to make yourself stand out in low-level formula racing or karting. Someone will see you and offer you a sponsorship. That’s what you need to go higher, apart from huge skill.
Comment by rosbif on 9 June 2007:
With the exception of Damon Hill (who started by racing motorbikes and didn’t get into car racing until he was 14) most of the modern drivers were racing karts before the age of 8. So, yes, you’re a little late for racing single-seaters. Look at saloon car racing or hill-climbing as a way into motorsport.
Comment by Sean B on 10 June 2007:
If you’re fast, it won’t matter. Fast enough to get noticed that is.
Comment by Urban K on 12 June 2007:
It’s never too late. Go for it.
Comment by Gregnir on 15 June 2007:
While it seems the majority of Formula One drivers started their racing careers in karts at a very young age, there is still time for a 16-year old to embark on a racing career. You could skip karts and go directly to something like Formula Ford or Formula 2000, both excellent places to learn the craft. Even with a karting background, drivers often enroll in a racing school to learn proper driving and racing techniques – you won’t learn how to heel-and-toe in karts and you’ll need to know how to do that in the lower formulae.
However, to get all the way to Formula One is a huge step and the odds are really stacked against you; there are thousands of people all over the world in kart racing, but only 22 F1 drivers (24 in 2008), plus a handful of test drivers.
Comment by mjbayunl on 17 June 2007:
If you want to race, start. Whatever the age. Don’t get your hopes up for a brilliant career at the pinicle of motorsports, but at the end of the day, those guys are just doing what they love, and there is no reason why you shouldn’t try to get to that point too.
Comment by geetarman on 19 June 2007:
Its never too late as long as you’re really motivated to achieve your goal. Give it a shot!
Comment by causalitist on 19 June 2007:
i do think that it helps to start racing something at a young age, to help develop the spatial awareness and ability to feel the track and whatnot… but if your good and you want it bad then why not! in fact, go karts are fun as hell, so even if you never get above racing super karts… those things are wayy faster than any production car on most curcuits. go for it.
have you raced anything? .. valentino rossi is a moto gp (motorcycle) racer, and he just tested the ferrari car for fun this year and was a half second behind Schumacher’s best time.
my point is that it doesnt have to be go karts… its just the act of racing something.
Comment by rockpool248 on 20 June 2007:
I guess talent and talent-development-wise, it’s not too late, but all the kids who are any good probably have sponsors already by the time they are 16. That means it’s relatively easy for them to keep going with their careers while picking up more lucrative sponsorships along the way, all the way to the top (hopefully). You, on the other hand, will need to start from scratch, and unless you are freakishly fast, not many will be interested in sponsoring you.
Comment by sam on 21 June 2007:
You see I am 17 & very much interested in F1. I think go-karting is the best place to start.
But due to my being Indian, I can’t pursue it due to lack of development of racing in India. If you get a suitable answer please mail me at . I too want to pursue it.
Comment by dj don on 24 June 2007:
yo wts up mate
its nt late yet
i m also f1 fan n i wnt 2 join it n i m 16 yrs old too
i liv in manchester,uk
but i dnt knw abt karting n whr its held in manchester
if u knw abt karting company or nethng abt it mail me on:
waitin 4 ur mail
gd bye
Comment by Maverick off Top Gun on 24 June 2007:
Unless you are a genius behind the wheel of a cart, I would say yes 16 is too late to start racing Karts. You are getting to the age where you are a little too old to be racing carts and need to start looking at Formula Ford, Formula 3000, or Formula Renault. Takuma Sato only started racing in Junior Categories in 1998 when he was 21 years old. He will never be world champion but he got there. There is a chance that you would be able to have a career in another category of motorsport, however Formula One takes only the very best unless you are lucky and well off. Just remember because you are starting late you will have to work harder than anybody else to get there. People really underestimate the amount of physical conditioning that goes into producing an F1 driver.
But don’t let that discourage you from karting. I have done a lot of Karting and it is imense fun. You will enjoy yourself either way whether you make it or not.
Comment by rahimj_27 on 26 June 2007:
You never know, it is late for most people but if you’re very talented then don’t waste time, seize the opportunity, you might make it!
If it doesn’t work for you, don’t ever think your life is over…
Try it and enjoy it either way.