Motor Racing's Money Tree

Today’s young drivers face a difficult and expensive clim to reach the heights of Formula 1

The single-seater ladder used to be straight. You climbed the rungs from Formula Ford to F3 to F2 and if you were good enough, with a fair wind and perhaps a few quid in your back pocket, you made it to F1. But the rungs of that old ladder were sawn through and chucked away years ago.

These days, ambitious young drivers face a daunting scramble up a tall, treacherous and many-limbed tree. To climb to the top, talent is not enough. Forget a few quid in your pocket: now you’ll need a hefty war-chest strapped to your back otherwise you won’t get past the roots.

Speaking of routes, there’s more than one way up. One slip and you can crash back to earth and some branches are stronger than others.

So here we offer an introductory guide to the climb faced by the Grand Prix stars of tomorrow. Over the coming months we’ll focus on the main branches and highlight the young aces who are already gripping on for dear life, clambering through the canopy of the ‘motor racing money tree’.

Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship
Annual budget: £120,000 Power: 125bhp
Engine: 1.6-litre Duratec four-cylinder
Top speed: 150mph Tyres: Dunlop
Chassis: Aquila/Juno/Mygale/Ray/Spectrum/Van Diemen
Race licence requirement: National B
www.britishformulaford.co.uk

Cooper Tyres British Formula 3 Championship
Annual Budget: £500-650,000 Power: 210bhp
Engine: 2-litre four-cylinder by Mercedes-Benz/Mugen Honda/Volkswagen
Top speed: 165mph Tyres: Cooper Chassis: Dallara/Mygale
Race licence requirement: International B
www.formula3.co

Renault World Series 3.5
Annual Budget: £620-850,000 Power: 425bhp
Engine: 3.5-litre V6 by Renault
Top speed: 175mph Tyres: Michelin
Chassis: Dallara
Race licence requirement: International B
www.worldseriesbyrenault.fr

FIA Formula 2 Championship
Annual Budget: £230,000 Power: 425bhp (500bhp with boost)
Engine: 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbo by Audi
Top speed: 170mph Tyres: Avon
Chassis: Williams F1
Race licence requirement: International B
www.formulatwo.com

FIA GP2 Series
Annual Budget: £1.3-1.7 million Power: 612bhp
Engine: 4-litre V8 by Mecachrome
Top speed: 205mph Tyres: Pirelli
Chassis: Dallara
Race licence requirement: International A
www.gp2series.com

Formula renault 2.0 Championship
annual Budget: £250-300,000 Power: 210bhp
Engine: 2-litre four-cylinder by Renault
Top speed: 155mph Tyres: Michelin
Chassis: Renaultsport with Caparo Vehicle Technologies
Race licence requirement: National B (Euro Cup: Int. B)
www.worldseriesbyrenault.fr

Formula 3 Euroseries
Annual Budget: £350-450,000 Power: 210bhp
Engine: 2-litre four-cylinder by Mercedes/Volkswagen
Top speed: 165mph Tyres: Kumho
Chassis: Dallara
Race licence requirement: International B
www.f3euroseries.com

FIA GP3 Series
Annual Budget: up to £570,000 Power: 280bhp
Engine: 2-litre four-cylinder turbo by Renault
Top speed: 165mph Tyres: Pirelli
Chassis: Dallara
Race licence requirement: International B
www.gp3series.com

Superleague Formula
Annual Budget: £430,000 Power: 750bhp
Engine: 4.2-litre V12 by Menard Competition Technologies
Top speed: 190mph Tyres: Michelin
Chassis: Panoz
Race licence requirement: International B
www.superleagueformula.com

FIA Formula 1 World Championship
Annual Budget: depends how good you are…
Power: 750bhp with 80bhp KER S boost
Engine: 2.4-litre V8
Top speed: 215mph Tyres: Pirelli Chassis: various
Race licence requirement: FIA Superlicence
www.formula1.com