How much does it cost?

[Andy Roberts]

nreed: That price included the 4 races, 4 tests and all the entry fees but not the insurance which was a bit steep.

I did 3 years of club level karting before winning both 1999 250cc EcoMoto Kart championships. I went into Formula Honda last year and finished 3rd overall with 1 win, 9 podiums, 1 pole and 3 fastest laps. FHonda is a fantastic series and is sadely overlooked by most drivers. Drop me an email at andy@andyroberts.uk.com and I'll fill you in with some more details if you like.

[expert]

are these prices for real?!?
500.000$ for F3, 150.000$ for formula ford...
you can buy 4 ferrari's 348 for the price of 1 FF season: NUTS-NUTS-NUTS!!!

and wat do you offer a sponsor in return for these kind of figures: NOTHING!!! (or maybe a few days of corporate hospitality at brands or silverstone: so he can watch his investment pass by 7 times for a few seconds while he's standing up to his ankles in mud and water...

I would like to see ONE retard who lays down the cash, thinking he's gonna be increasing his "brand awareness" by sponsoring a driver! (i would really like to meet him!!!)

better check out italian formula renault: 150.000$ -all in- for a competitive drive, always sunshine, splendidly organised, up to 50 entry's a race: and most of them are (ex-)top-karters. it's still a crazy amount of money to spend on 12 races, but at least it has some balance between value and money, unlike british FF or JFF (although i'm sure you learn an awful lot in them, but come on: 150.000$$$!!!)

[Sid The Manager]

Part of the reason for the price of British championships is that in the single seater world they are very highly regarded.

You can spend less money in other countries, but sooner or later, racing in britain almost has to be on your CV.

[expert]

the UK has always been a good place to get noticed, true! but maybe times are changing: Felipe Massa, Ryan Briscoe -to name just 2 for starters- might be setting a trend.

fisichella, schumacher, yoong (sorry), heidfeld, frentzen, verstappen,... didn't come to britain either.

anyhow, the number of drivers that learned the ropes in UK single seaters in uncountable, and i think one of the biggest factors for this might be... Autosport(-magazine).

"Autosport" is and always has been taken very seriously by anyone involved in motor racing -and it is by any means a great magazine.

but if you are dominating, let's say italian FRenault, and you send enough press releases to F1-teams together with a certified cheque (with the same amount of $$$ like button, raikkonen...) you should get there anyway (to F1 i mean).

if instead you have to realize you don't have the talent (which many a UK-driver would in italy), at least you would have spent only 1/2 of the money to get to the same conclusion...