Understanding Your Needs
Before searching for a team, it is important to define your specific requirements.
Do you have your own car, or do you want to rent a car? What exactly do you want to get out of racing? What are your long-term and short-term goals?
Clarifying these details will help you focus your search, and ensure that you find a team that best aligns with your objectives.
Finding the Right Fit
Formula F racing provides an exciting entry into competitive motorsport, but winning often depends on more than just driving skill. Joining a strong team to support you is crucial to make an impact, and the right team will make the difference between victory and disappointment.
While it may be tempting to start with a smaller and more cost-effective team, established teams with a proven track record earned those successes after a very hard and long road.
One of the most effective ways to connect with a team is by getting to know them before committing. Like any difficult venture, racing is much about relationships. Sharing time at the track is the best way to know if the fit is right, as is networking with other drivers, team owners, and crew members. It will soon become clear what each team is like, and who you like best.
Under Suppliers on this site, we have a tab listing several teams offering the services you need for your Formula F effort.
Own or Rent from a Team
For those who prefer to focus exclusively on driving, hiring a professional team is ideal. You can enjoy all the benefits of ownership without the efforts or struggles to be competitive. Just show up and drive, but you still have financial control.
Team fees generally start with car prep, typically 8-12 hours per race. There are fees for the races including towing per distance, travel expenses, lodging if needed, car rental if any, and of course food.
Trackside services vary between teams and programs and include crew fees, often an engineer, driver coaching if needed, and of course mechanical needs. Some expenses can be saved if the driver provides their own mechanical work, but that devaluates your effort and offers scant savings since multi-car teams already have crews at the races.
To be competitive, expect to spend about $500 to as much as $2,000 per track day when including all professional services.
The Upsides
A professional team brings vast experience in car setup, maintenance, and race-day logistics. This allows you to concentrate entirely on driving, as all technical work is in capable hands. Teams provide valuable strategic insights, data analysis, and car tuning, improving your performance on the track. There’s less stress, more opportunity to maximize your results, and the team knows where to best spend funds. In short, it’s both more fun and success for you, and whomever comes with you.
The Downsides
The main drawback to hiring a team is the significant financial investment. Fees can quickly escalate, as you’ll be paying not only for services, but also transportation and other logistical expenses. While it removes much of the burden, it also means that you will pay a premium for convenience and expert support.