Before jumping straight into the heat of competition, it is a good idea to get a taste of driving a car at speed around a circuit. The best way to do this is to visit your local racing school.
It is important to find a school which is a registered member of the Association of Racing Drivers Schools, also known as ARDS.
These schools all feature experienced instructors who will be able to assist you with getting up to speed on track in a safe manner. You will also be able to sit your practical examination at one of these schools, something which is necessary to obtain your racing licence.
Club Championship
The range of options available to anyone looking to participate in circuit racing is incredibly diverse. Firstly, there is the type of car you are looking to race, including single seaters, saloon cars and GTs. Then there is the format of racing you are wanting to compete in such as sprint or endurance races. You might also want to decide if you want to race modern cars or historics, as there are specific championships which cater for each.
Once you have an idea of what type of circuit racing you may want to get involved in, you will then need to identify a particular championship to enter. Many racing clubs will feature the various championship which they organise on their websites. From here, you will be able to shortlist some of your favourites which catch your eye.
Armed with this information, the next step is to attend an event where these championships are racing. This will give you a good understanding of how the events are run, what the racing is like and provide you with an opportunity to speak with competitors to find out their views on the championship.
When you have made a decision on which championship to enter, you can then begin the process of getting everything organised to get you on the grid.
First things first, you will need to obtain your racing licence.
The application pack is available to order on the Motorsport UK website and contains everything you need to know about getting started. As part of the licence process, you will need to book a test with an Association of Racing Drivers Schools (ARDS) instructor. These are available at many locations around the country and will involve both a theory and practical assessment.
Once you have successfully completed your ARDS test and applied for your licence, you can then look to obtain your safety equipment such as helmet, FHR device and racewear as well as sourcing a car for your championship. You may be able to either purchase an existing car or, if the series allows, you can opt to build one yourself.
For more information, check out the video below:
National Championship
The pinnacle of circuit racing within the UK are the various British national championships. These championships feature some of the best drivers in the country and cover a variety of disciplines including Touring Cars, GT cars, single seaters and even trucks.
As these championships carry the prestigious opportunity of becoming the British title holder, the competition is extremely fierce. Typically, these championships feature drivers who have many years of racing experience under their belt and, as such, are not recommended for drivers first entering the world of motorsport. However, they present a worthwhile goal for any aspirational drivers to aim for.
For more information, check out the video below:
Racing Categories
Single Seater Cars
Also known as Formula cars, these machines are purpose-built for racing, designed around a single driver who sits right in the centre of the car. Typically featuring open wheels which are fully exposed without any wheel arches, these cars a very lightweight and provide a very dynamic driving experience.
While some single seater race cars can feature treaded tyres and no wings or spoilers, others run on super grippy slick tyres with highly complex aerodynamic devices to push the car into the tarmac, resulting in incredible cornering speeds.
These cars are designed for short, sharp sprint races where the action is fast and frenetic. They are also the most popular route for those young drivers looking to climb to the very top of the motorsport ladder with aspirations of competing in Formula One.
Saloon Cars
Being more relatable to the cars you would see on your daily commute, saloon car racing is very popular with both drivers and spectators alike. Ranging from standard production cars fitted with the relevant safety equipment, through to space-frame chassis super saloons, the range of cars competing is vast!
To go along with the wide variety of cars found on the circuits around the country, saloon cars are also highly versatile in the types of events that they compete in. Solo drivers can put their skills to the test in short, action-packed sprint races, while teams of drivers can push themselves and their cars to the limits in long distance endurance races.
GT and Sports Cars
Featuring some of the most desirable sports cars in the world, GT racing is highly popular on the internation stage of motorsport. However, there are plenty of opportunities to race these thoroughbred sports cars throughout the UK.
Many clubs offer championships which feature a wide variety of new and classic GT cars with both sprint and endurance racing options. This means that you can either drive solo or share the costs, and fun, with a friend.
Order your Racing Starter Pack
Get ready to hit the circuits! A Motorsport UK Go Racing pack is your first step in obtaining a Racing Licence.
Motorsport UK has launched a special edition magazine titled, DRIVE! How to begin your motorsport journey, to explain the routes into the various disciplines of motorsport.
Complete the form to download the publication and understand how you can get started.
