Looking for a low cost single seater series

amier · 13 Apr 2007, 12:27 (Ref:1890375)

Im thinking of getting back into some single seater racing this year and was wondering if there are any arrive and drive type series for around £500-700 per meeting.

I last did a hand full of races back in 1999 in the BRDC silverstone series.

Any help appreciated.

davec · 13 Apr 2007, 12:32 (Ref:1890379)

although I have never competed in it myself (FF1600 for me at the time) the best option is probably formula vee, run by various clubs but 750MC is a good starting place. there are loads of people running cars for very cheap (in motorsport terms) prices. I would have gone for this a few years ago rather that formula ford but I did not know it existed.

amier · 13 Apr 2007, 12:36 (Ref:1890382)

Any details on this?

What the process of getting a race licence these days? Mine expired back in 2000, so I guess I have to take my ards test?

Im really hacked off that I have to buy a new helmet, as my Arai GP4 is obsolete

amier · 13 Apr 2007, 12:45 (Ref:1890395)

Didnt know these were so cheap, what would be a race or season budget to race one of these?

http://www.motorsportads.co.uk/race-...ters/6197.html

Id like to do a hand full of races in something live a Vee to get back into it, but ultimately a formula renault is a proper single seater.

andy97 · 13 Apr 2007, 15:06 (Ref:1890496)

Monoposto (see www.monoposto.co.uk).

If you buy your own car, Mono can definately be done for the sort of money that you are talking about (and I spend a lot less per meeting, all in). A Vauxhall-Lotus can be picked up for Mono 2000 for about £6k, or a F Ford Zetec for Mono 1800 can be had for £5k. Spares are very plentiful and the engines (being largely production standard) are bullet proof and don't need much in the way of a re-build (unlike some other series). A F Renault car is also eligible for Mono 2000, as well as a number of other series.

Arrive and drive is possible, there are one or two people who hire cars out - Nick Edgington is one and Muzz Racing might still hire out a F Renault. Again look at the Mono web site, including the club's own Forum.
Visit us at Silverstone on sunday and come and say hi.

Other series worth thinking about are the Classic Touring Car Club's single seater series on the Stowe circuit at Silverstone - ideal to get back in to it & entries are just £110 for 3 races, usually. Or the Classic Sports Car Club's "Formula Free" (http://www.classicsportscarclub.co.uk/FormulaFree.html) - basically a Libre type seriies for cars up to 2 litres. First race at Brands on May 4/5 and an entry fee of just £99. If you bought a Vauxhall Lotus or F Renault then you would have the choice of all of these series!

Benny1664 · 13 Apr 2007, 20:50 (Ref:1890711)

Formula Vee all the way!! Check out the website at www.veecentre.com If you want to do arrive and drive check out the website for AHS who do that amongst others... There should be a links page on Vee Centre to the various relevant teams websites. Hope that helps... Come along and see us race at some point and Im sure you'll be hooked, far better than an F1 race!

I started out like you in the Silverstone cars. Found it a huge leap to running our own car but am getting there slowly now.. And everyone is so friendly and willing to help, its great.

Lola · 14 Apr 2007, 09:40 (Ref:1890928)

Vee's are so dam ugly still. If you want low cost with fantastic performance you cant go wrong with a FR which can run in Mono, Barc, Lydden, stowe races...... list goes on.
FVL and FVJ are going for the right money too. These are very quick cars which do not require trick engine rebuilds each season to remain competative. I have run FF1600 and a mono spec F3 car. The mono F3 car has a standard VW engine which i rebuilt myself using a Haynes manual. It has run without problem for 4 seasons , a regular podium finisher and has won a mono 2000 race outright against some very quick competative profesional cars.

Go for a car that has flexibilty and mono spec cars offer this as they may race almost anywhere.

Ian Sowman · 14 Apr 2007, 09:44 (Ref:1890930)

I'm not sure what ugliness or otherwise has to do with the discussion. There are still agricultural visual elements, but the new cars look great and there's quite a decent amount of technology going into them now.

I'd say Vee has the most talent among the entry of any of the 'budget' single seater series, too.

Lola · 14 Apr 2007, 09:46 (Ref:1890932)

I think the agricutural element is what puts me off.

andy97 · 14 Apr 2007, 10:01 (Ref:1890939)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian Sowman

I'm not sure what ugliness or otherwise has to do with the discussion. There are still agricultural visual elements, but the new cars look great and there's quite a decent amount of technology going into them now.

I'd say Vee has the most talent among the entry of any of the 'budget' single seater series, too.

But how much money are people spending on regular engine re-builds in Vee? The engines are pretty highly developed to give the power they do. The beauty of Mono is that the engines are bullet proof and cost bu99er all to run. There probably is not the strength in depth of driving talent in Mono but the top half a dozen are as quick as anywhere in club motorsport probably.

Ian Sowman · 14 Apr 2007, 13:09 (Ref:1891066)

Probably quite a bit of money, but I wasn't really addressing that point but the one that Lola raised. Vee can be/is still cheap relative to a lot of other options.

The answer is there is no one 'low cost single seater series' that is better than the others on all counts. So ultimately which you go for depends whether you like swings or prefer roundabouts.

ADEE · 16 Apr 2007, 12:30 (Ref:1892901)

You think Ian Pearsons FRen is cheap - how about this... http://www.motorsportads.co.uk/race-...ters/8281.html

I'm sure Stef at MuzzRace would help run this for you - PM me if interested in contacting Stef.

Bob Pearson · 16 Apr 2007, 14:20 (Ref:1893010)

That's good racing for very little money, I hope someone snaps that up and brings it out in BARC rather than waste it at 40mm ride height elsewhere

Triple J Motorsport · 16 Apr 2007, 16:15 (Ref:1893125)

You must have the garages everywhere then as my FF grounds in the tunel at brands and thats with 40mm

JohnMiller · 16 Apr 2007, 16:32 (Ref:1893142)

Vee is undoubtedly good but FF1600 alsways swings it for me as you have so many more different championships and places to race and you have the likes of the Festival, Carnival and the 154 car Walter Hayes Trophy at the end of the year.

amier · 17 Apr 2007, 19:47 (Ref:1894158)

Thanks guys for all your help, while id love to buy a FR, I saldy live in a flat at the moment and dont have no where to store or keep the thing

Looks like id have to go the vee route, though 4k for a FR is bloody tempting, but again the storage is an issue.

amier · 17 Apr 2007, 19:47 (Ref:1894159)

Thanks guys for all your help, while id love to buy a FR, I saldy live in a flat at the moment and dont have no where to store or keep the thing

Looks like id have to go the vee route, though 4k for a FR is bloody tempting, but again the storage is an issue.

JohnMiller · 17 Apr 2007, 19:52 (Ref:1894162)

Can you get a Vee in a flat then?

amier · 17 Apr 2007, 20:11 (Ref:1894189)

Arrive and drive? I though thats what vee was about, you pay them 700 or so per race and thats it.. you just rent teh cars in effect

Benny1664 · 17 Apr 2007, 21:39 (Ref:1894270)

Well... some are rented... spose theres probably about 5 or 6 at most at each meeting who rent. Theres lots who have cars but pay teams to run them (to varying levels including storing them)..

JohnMiller · 17 Apr 2007, 22:11 (Ref:1894307)

You can arrive and drive in anything, from FVee to F1.

Or buy a car and then get a team to (store and) run it for you - owner/driver.

amier · 18 Apr 2007, 06:10 (Ref:1894420)

Cool, so what are the costs involved in the team to just store them? But would costs then spiral out of control?

andy97 · 18 Apr 2007, 09:36 (Ref:1894550)

Quote:

Originally Posted by amier

Arrive and drive? I though thats what vee was about, you pay them 700 or so per race and thats it.. you just rent teh cars in effect

Nick Edginton will rent out a F Ford Zetec for Monoposto 1800 or F4 for similar money; Nick's details are available here:

http://www.phpbber.com/phpbb/viewtop...orum=monoposto

amier · 18 Apr 2007, 21:14 (Ref:1895087)

Thanks for all the help guys!! Im in the process of booking my ARDS test, I dont think I can renenew my National B licence from 1999, as I have not done any races since.

I need to buy a helmet and race suit, any recommendations?

MSportUK · 19 Apr 2007, 21:20 (Ref:1895822)

Head to GPR at Silverstone and try stuff on would be my recommendation. I tried on loads of helmets and suits before finding one that I was comfortable in that was also a decent price.

Have a word with Jedi Racing Cars too - they can run you a car for Formula Jedi races - low cost and awesome fun, and someone to race against whatever level you're competing at.

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