Top 7 Mistakes Young Race Car Drivers Should Avoid
World Series 3.5 driver Alfonso Celis Jr racing with Fortec.
Written by: Toni Calderon, Speed Group Partner
Have you ever asked yourself the question "How do I become a professional race car driver?" For those of you who have, you know that the answer is usually, well, complicated.....
Navigating the world of motorsports is tricky for even a veteran like me, but for young drivers and eager dads looking to make their mark in racing it can be not only frustrating, but also extremely expensive. Making the wrong decisions when you start your racing career can quickly lead to empty trophy cases and even emptier bank accounts.
Here are 7 critical mistakes that you should avoid when starting your career in racing:
1. Having an Excuse for Everything
"They were on pole by 1 second, they must be cheating"
"We should've won but (insert bad luck situation here) happened."
Let's face it, we've all been there. Sometimes things don’t go our way and it’s human nature to find the easiest possible explanation for it, and even easier for us to stomach when the fault does not lie at our feet. The truth is, racing is a complex ecosystem with many variables and when something goes wrong there's probably a series of circumstances that led to it.
Great teams and drivers don't win championships because they do ONE thing much better than anyone else. It's because they do TWENTY things just a tiny bit better than the rest. There is no magic in racing, just extraordinary examples of teamwork.
Sometimes it's no one's fault when things go wrong, and sometimes it's all your fault! What is important is to avoid getting frustrated and bogged down with always having an answer because this will only distract you from actually making things better. Instead, focus on what you can control and try to do everything just 1% better. If you can do this results will come eventually, and bad luck will magically start to disappear.
2. Not Spending Money on Testing
Practice makes perfect. It's a simple and accepted concept, but we seem to forget that in racing sometimes. One of the most common mistakes young drivers (and dads) will make is stretching their budgets so they can somehow get a full season of racing in, while sacrificing test days to make it happen.
If you don't test you won't learn, if you don't learn you won't be fast, if you aren't fast you won't impress.
Team owners, sponsors and manufacturers don't care if you did a full season or a partial season when you were starting out. They don't care if you "finished 9th consistently" during your first year in racing. What they care about is if you can be their next superstar who wins races, scores poles, and sells products.
Crafting your skills and making a strong first impression is crucial to setting yourself up to be a successful driver. And if this means that you have to spend more money on test days, and not do a full racing season, so be it.
3. Wanting to be the Youngest (the Max Verstappen Effect)
This one is for the dads.
Max Verstappen is the youngest driver ever to compete in F1, the youngest F1 points scorer, youngest F1 winner, etc etc. Colton Herta is the youngest IndyCar winner and pole sitter. When you hear stats like this it's easy to think that this is the norm, and that in order to be the "next star" you must beat their records. FOMO can be a dangerous thing.
The truth is, Max and Colton didn't get to where they are because they were young, they got there because they are GREAT DRIVERS. And they were lucky. And they worked hard. And they were basically born with a helmet on.
Your age doesn't matter if the other elements of your career aren't ready. You can't force results and you can't rush talent. Take your time, do it right.
4. Not Having a Life
For teenage race car drivers (or any age really), racing can be a lonely lifestyle. You are constantly traveling, waking up at the crack of dawn every weekend to go to the track, and going to bed early on a Saturday night while your friends at home are out having fun. For most drivers out there, for whom racing is their passion, this is a perfectly acceptable compromise to be able to do what you love.
There is fine line between passion and obsession. Younger minds, especially, are more susceptible to burning out when this line is crossed. It's ok to just want to be a kid sometimes, and just because you don't want to live and breathe racing 24/7 doesn't mean that you aren't committed. Find the balance that makes you want to keep pushing.
A happy driver is a fast driver.
5. Surrounding Yourself with the Wrong People
The motorsports world is a tricky one. Getting the wrong advice and associating with the wrong crowd can quickly lead to wasting huge amounts of money and having your career ruined before anyone even knows who you are. There are tons of people out there that say they can help you, however the reality is that some of them might not have your best interest at heart.
We could write a book about this but for simplicity here are some obvious red flags to avoid:
If whoever you are working with is trying to keep you from talking and socializing with others in the paddock, run away immediately! They are screwing you over and they know it's only a matter of time until someone tells you how crooked they are.
If it seems like their advice always involves you spending more money, and never actually trying to slow down or spend less, they are not the right advisor. They either don't know what they are talking about, or don't care about your long-term career.
Lastly, ask around. If no one knows the people you working with, or worse yet, no one has anything good to say about them then they're probably the wrong people to surround yourself with. It's a small world, the people that do a good job and are honest are the ones that last, and they are respected by their peers.
6. Not Building a Brand
It's no secret that in racing, talent alone might not always get you to the top. Yes, if you want to become a professional you will have to win races and championships, but you will also have to work your ass off outside of the car. Being a successful race car driver doesn't only mean being fast, it requires you being a spokesperson and an icon that sponsors can attach themselves to and make money on.
You need to hustle.
Many young drivers make the mistake of thinking that fame and sponsors will come to them automatically if they keep being successful on track, however the truth is that 99% of the time this just isn't the case. Being a professional driver is a full time job, when you aren't on track or the gym you should be figuring out how to get your name out there.
Work on your social media, make friends with journalists, go and talk to anyone that will listen, go to all the PR events, and always come to the track with a smile on your face and a firm handshake.
7. Not Knowing WHY You are Fast, and HOW to go Faster
So you've always been one of the quickest drivers out there. From the minute you got behind the wheel of a go-kart you were at the top of the time sheets and everyone kept talking about how much "natural talent" you have.
This is great and can work at the lower levels, but once you get to the higher classes it won’t be enough.
You will only go as fast as your car will go. Understanding what the car needs to be faster, communicating this properly to your engineer, and then adjusting your driving style to make up for setup changes is essential if you want to be a top driver.
NO ONE is born with this knowledge, it's not a skill. The only way to acquire it is through experience, curiosity and hard work. So don't just drive – think, learn and ask WHY! Know what is going on with your car and why. Ask questions. Take notes. Make your engineer your BFF.
As tough and complicated as the motorsports world can be, it is also an amazing mix of some of the most talented and passionate group of people you will find. The people that can stick around become a part of a family and a lifestyle that is hard to match, so keep your head up and keep hustling and we look forward to seeing you at the track!
Send us your thoughts at info@speed-group.us. We’d love to hear from you!