How much does it cost to race in F1? The incredible price young drivers pay

Young drivers spend millions on a shot at F1

Formula 1 is the pinnacle of world motorsport and the end goal for many aspiring racers. With just 20 seats available at the sport’s summit – rising to 22 next year – it is a lofty goal.

And while it’s generally accepted that those who reach the F1 grid are the best drivers in the world, talent alone is not the sole determinant.

A host of other factors are involved, including nationality, alignment with a team or manufacturer, timing and money.

The financial element is the most significant as it defines the ability of any young driver to progress up the ladder as they pursue their dream.

That comes at a staggering cost, even at the lowest level, with the first step on the FIA’s defined pyramid towards F1 priced just under the cost of an average house in London.

And the price of competition only increases from there.

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While F1 drivers often boast huge salaries, throughout a junior driver’s formative years, the obligation is on the driver to fund their careers.

A cottage industry of sorts exists to provide that service; the likes of Arden, HiTech, Rodin, ART, Prema and others.

These organisations have interests across an array of competitions, but their services don’t come cheap.

For the most part, there are two methods an aspiring racer will use to fund their racing: family money or sponsorship.

The latter is by far more difficult as, for the most part, the bottom rungs on the ladder offer a low return on investment for prospective sponsors.

However, joining forces with a promising young racer early on can reap long-term benefits should they reach F1, with a well-forged relationship and typically somewhat reduced fees.

In some instance, there’s even an entitlement to a percentage of a driver’s earnings, depending how the deal is structured.

It is that avenue which Liam Lawson used to reach F1; finding strong local backing in his native New Zealand, which helped launch his career before joining forces with Red Bull’s development program.

Even then, there was a gap that needed to be covered, which was made up through personal sponsors and associations, such as with the Tony Quinn Foundation.

The alternative method is to use family money, though this is often disguised as sponsorship through a family-aligned business.

Whatever the means of funding their dreams, a young driver is on the hook for at least £4.5 million by the time they reach the doorstep of F1 – though the harsh reality is that the real figure is about double that.

An extensive investigation revealed the cost of competing at each level of motorsport’s single-seater pyramid, with the figures quoted below the base rates; they do not include extras such as testing or travel.

They also don’t include any form of driver coach, physio, or management, all of which come with a price tag and could easily add another six figures to the necessary budget.

Speed is also of the essence, not just on track but also in terms of progressing through the ranks.

To reach F1, a driver must have met the criteria for an FIA Super Licence, making the three years leading up to their 19th birthday critical as they seek to amass the necessary 40 points to qualify them to race in motorsport’s top tier.

Formula 4/GB3 – £575,000

While there is no single path to F1, there is a generally accepted route laid out by the FIA’s single-seater pyramid.

It’s a pathway that starts, typically, with national Formula 4, though some may opt for a season in an alternate category, such as GB3.

Both offer an entry point into open-wheel competition, and both come with a hefty price – more than £500,000.

They also begin to open the door into the world of motorsport, with many of the organisations present at that level also boasting teams in the higher ranks.

Importantly, it should be noted that those who have proved successful in recent years have typically competed in multiple F4 competitions.

It goes to show that, even at the very start of a young driver’s career, being well-funded is critical, as there is no substitute for time at the wheel.

Importantly, Formula 4 championships generally come with 12 Super Licence points for the winner, making it by far the most attractive starting point for drivers targeting a career in F1.

Formula Regional – £850,000

For the most part, Formula Regional means the Formula Regional European Championship, though others exist in the Middle East, Oceania (New Zealand), among others.

The European Championship runs largely through the European summer, with other competitions taking place earlier in the year.

Championships in the Middle East, Asia, or Oceania can be useful to drivers to boost their Super Licence points total, especially heading into a new year.

Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad did precisely that by winning the Formula Regional Oceania championship in 2025, giving him an extra 18 points towards his Super Licence, which proved enough to surpass the necessary 40-point marker set by the FIA.

By contrast, the European Championship, which is widely considered a more competitive series, gives 25 Super Licence points to the winner.

Though the precise car spec changes from championship to championship, the Formula Regional machinery typically spans the gap between Formula 4, where aerodynamics are little more than aesthetic, and the higher-performing F3 machinery into which they’ll ideally progress.

Costs also accelerate at this level, with drivers needing to find at least £850,000, taking the running total to more than £1.4 million – and theoretically, just two years into a driver’s career,

In reality, that figure is closer to £2 million when one considers the extras required – testing, travel, and coaching for instance – and a potential two-championship F4 tilt.

And that £2 million figure doesn’t include time in one of the smaller regional competitions in conjunction to the European season.

Formula 3 – £1,150,000

Run alongside the Formula 1 schedule, Formula 3 is often the first time fans will encounter a young driver’s name.

A bona fide global competition with races in Australia, the Middle East and Europe, costs rise once more with asking figures north of £1 million.

However, with the opportunity for worldwide exposure and the opportunity to spend time in the F1 paddock, there are added benefits.

Among them is the healthy 30 Super Licence points available to the championship winner.

For most, Formula 3 is a two-year programme, with the first spent acclimatising to the F3 machinery – and, in many instances, all-new tracks – ahead of contending for the title in their second year.

Naturally, that doubles the cost; by the time a young driver is ready to graduate to Formula 2, they’ll have spent approaching £5 million once travel, testing and the other necessary accessories are accounted for.

Strong performances at this level (or earlier, if you’re fortunate) can raise the interest of F1 teams who can support or even bankroll a driver’s junior career, which can ease the burden significantly.

There is a catch, however, as it can also take a driver off the market for potential suitors in future, but in many instances, as the costs of racing rise the further up the ladder a driver climbs, an association with a team’s driver development programme can become a necessity.

Formula 2 – £1,900,000

For most, Formula 2 is the final step on the ladder to F1; it is the top of the FIA’s single-seater pyramid.

Success at this level is typically a strong endorsement of a driver’s capabilities, but there remains no guarantee that they’ll graduate onto the Formula 1 grid.

Oscar Piastri, who won Formula Regional, Formula 3 and Formula 2 competitions in consecutive years, was forced to spend a year on the sidelines because there was no berth for him at Alpine, to whom he was affiliated through his junior years.

Felipe Drugovich, Theo Pourchaire and a host of others are also evidence that success in F2 is not a golden ticket.

Like with Formula 3, it is typically a two-year programme with a learning year followed by one where a driver with realistic ambitions would be expected to contend for the title.

Winning it is not mandatory. Isack Hadjar didn’t, nor did Lawson or Oliver Bearman, yet all have proved to be capable grand prix drivers.

However, winning it at the first or second attempt is a major coup – success in a third year carries far less weight given the relative experience advantage a driver would have over their competition at that point of their career.

With a strong championship result also comes an automatic right to an FIA Super Licence, with a total of 40 points up for grabs for the top three drivers in the standings.

But at a cost of nearly £2 million (and realistically likely more for the frontrunners), at the end of a potentially six-year junior career, a driver could have easily spent £9 million just for the chance of reaching F1.