So when did you realise you weren't going to race F1?

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vat_man

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Sheesh - I followed F1 since the early 80's, ran a few senior kart races, saw the telecasts and thought 'jeez, I could do that'.

Then late in 1990 I saw ultra slow motion of Jean Alesi in my favourite F1 car, the Tyrrell Ford that introduced high noses to open wheel formula.

I saw the footage of each little patch of oversteer, each lasting no more than a tenth of second, quite deliberately corrected (remember when you could see the drivers at work) as the car was forced through that fast 3rd to 4th gear right hander at the front of the Casino.

At that very moment I realised I was kidding myself.
 
Hmmm, interesting topic... :) Although I'm not sure if it discouraged me from becoming an F1 driver, the first time I actually saw the cars in real-life, I had second thoughts...it must be a real blast to be in one, though! :eek:
 
when they selected Yoong instead of me to drive the Minardi? :p

seriously, when i visited the Villeneuve museum at the age of 13, i had a chance to sit in one of Gilles' Ferrari (from 1980, IIRC) and i couldn't even fit it properly, i was too tall...

Rally racing, on the other hand... :D

there's a slim chance i could build myself a car for the 2wd class of the Canadian Rally Championship...
 
I've driven single seater cars, though not anywhere near as powerful as an F1 car. It was a Formula Vauxhall-Lotus car, 2 litre engine, slick tyres, wings, and it went like a bat out of hell. Certainly not easy to drive, as it was manual gears, no gater on the stick so you had to manually find the gears rather than just slotting them in, and there was no syncromesh either, so you had to do the old toe-and-heel braking.

I'd love to drive an F1 car, or pretty much any racing car to be honest. Driving round an open track is a blast, especially in a race-prepared car, and even better in an open-wheeled single seater.
 
If I get lucky I may participate in a Formula König (German series) test-weekend next year, or the year after. But that's a pretty big if so I might as well don't get my hopes up. :)
 
Seeing how they push the cars through the narrow streets of Monte Carlo is kind of discouraging...
 
Originally posted by aljones
I'd love to drive an F1 car, or pretty much any racing car to be honest. Driving round an open track is a blast, especially in a race-prepared car, and even better in an open-wheeled single seater.
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Know what you mean - I drove a Formula Ford at tyre test date 10 years ago (it was a mid '80s Van Diemen from memory) at Phillip Island, it was fantastic! Gearbox was a pain in the arse (especially coming back down the box) but pretty impressive - even had a little low speed slide.
 
Well it might have had something to do with the fact that my first go in a kart, at the age of 24, was in the region of 20 years too late!

My father was a racer for a while, and I think he became a bit disillusioned with the whole scene, so never introduced me to it.

I'd much rather be a rally driver anyway, but I realised that wasn't going to happen when I let Robbie Head drive me in my Subaru around Knockhill. He was so much faster than me everywhere I was kind of awestruck. I used to think I could pedal fairly quickly, but I was well wrong!
 
I knew I never had a chance! Would love to race go-karts though. That seems like it would be a blast.

I raced motocross back in the day (my high school years) and was at best average. [I really liked girls, still do...] 😈
 
To tell you the truth I still think I have a chance, and if I ever do it Ill post it all over the place, Ill even staple a big sign to my ass and forehead just to show off. Never lose hope my friends we can DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I never thought I had a chance and still do not, but now I am turned off by the prospect of people hating me for illogical reasons. Hint. Hint.
 
Well shoe boy always has something to say about another driver or a drivers move, so why cant we say what we feel about him without being attacked by his fans.
 
Well, I was hoping some strange alien race would choose me one day because I was so good at playing racing video games. And then I'd be chosen to compete in their premier open-wheel category to save them from ultimate doom...Kinda like The Last Starfighter, only different.

Um, I'm 28, and gave up the idea about 8 years ago; Rubens Barrichello had the Jordan drive at age 20...that made me realize that unless you're a Damon Hill, F1 and me isn't going to happen. Maybe one day I'll be a historic racer, but I don't think it will ever get more serious than that...no money, no racing pedigree, did I mention no money?
 
I think I heard something about F1 gears boxes and Motorbike trannies being similar. The sequential aspect, I think.
 
im 17 and still have that dream. i wasnt brought up by racers and havent ever had the chance to kart. the way im going about it now is taking classes at a skip barber school and then trying to compete in lower classes. still trying to figure out what ill do. at some point i will need to move to a european series, then somehow find myself in f3. all of the series i know in the usa lead to CART not f1, and takes a bit longer. there arent many CART drivers being selected at ages slightly over 20. hmmmm.

anyway, i figure i will severely enjoy any level of open-wheel racing, and will stop or change paths when i find that dead end. even attending skip barbers school will be phenomenal.

anyone want to give me some help? i could participate in the regional dodge series, then go nationals. but then what? when and how the hell do i get to euro formula? i need to do that as soon as possible.
 
Originally posted by TALONclaw
Are the gearboxes in a single seater sort of like gearboxes in motorcycles?
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Not necessarily. I drove a Formula Palmer Audi last week, and it had an H-pattern with first on a dog-leg.
 
Originally posted by vat_man


Know what you mean - I drove a Formula Ford at tyre test date 10 years ago (it was a mid '80s Van Diemen from memory) at Phillip Island, it was fantastic! Gearbox was a pain in the arse (especially coming back down the box) but pretty impressive - even had a little low speed slide.
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I'm guessing the gearbox in that Van Diemen was the same as the Vauxhall Lotus I drove, no gater and no synchromesh, yeah? Down changes are certainly a lot more tricky with no synchromesh. I don't think that would be a problem in modern formula 1 cars though :rolleyes:
 

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