This is the story of Senna Prost — a hypothetical young racer whose journey to Formula 1 shows the staggering costs of chasing the dream.
Karting (6–15 years old)
“Dad, can I go again? Please?”
I was six years old, tugging on his sleeve, eyes wide, my helmet still too big for me. The kart rattled and wheezed, second-hand, paint chipped; but it was mine.
Every weekend, my mum packed sandwiches, dad loaded the trailer, and we drove to small circuits across the country.
- Our path: We spent €20–40k per year, stretching every euro. Dad became my mechanic, grease on his hands, worry in his eyes every time an engine blew. Over ten years, we spent €200–400k.
- The others: Some kids arrived with motorhomes, teams of mechanics, and three karts ready in case one broke. Their families spent €250–400k per year. By 15, they’d already burned through €2–3M.
I still remember my mum’s voice at the kitchen table one night:
“We can’t keep up with them. But maybe… maybe our boy is quick enough without all that.”
Formula 4 (15–18 years old)
The first time I drove an F4 car, I felt like I had wings. My karting life was behind me and this was real.
But reality carried a price tag.
- Our path: A midfield team gave me a seat for €300–400k. One season only. Limited testing. Every mistake felt like it cost us a mortgage payment.
- The others: Prema and Van Amersfoort kids had data engineers, simulators, and private track days. Their families spent €500–700k a season, sometimes more than €1M over two years.
After one race, my dad leaned against the pit wall, sweat dripping from his brow.
“You’re quick, Senna. But they’ve done twice the laps you have. Don’t you forget that.”
Formula 3 (17–19 years old)
Formula 3 weekends were magic! It were the same tracks and the same paddocks as Formula 1. I walked past the Red Bull garage, heart pounding, dreaming.
But then I’d look across at the Prema tent. Their drivers arrived with their entourages; dedicated trainers (mental and physical), data analysts and some even had managers. I arrived with mum, dad, and a single backpack.
- Our path: A midfield seat cost us €750k–1M. No private tests, no sim. We just turned up and prayed my pace could carry me.
- The others: At Prema, ART, Trident, budgets ran €1.5–2M per season, often two years. That was €3–4M. Enough to guarantee F1 scouts watched every corner.
One night in a cheap hotel, I overheard my parents whispering.
Mum: “We can’t borrow more. We’re already drowning.”
Dad: “If he wins just one more race… maybe someone notices. Maybe an academy picks him up.”
Formula 2 (18–21 years old)
F2 was war. The cars were brutal, the grids full of the best.
But nothing prepared us for the cost.
- Our path: We scraped into a backmarker team for €1.5–2M. No illusions of winning — just surviving, hoping to show flashes of brilliance.
- The others: Prema, DAMS, ART — they charged €2.5–3.5M per season. A full campaign meant €5–7M. Title contenders were groomed, polished, prepared.
Before one race, dad sat beside me in the paddock, eyes tired.
“Son… if you don’t make it this year, we can’t keep going. We’ve given everything. More than we had.”
I nodded, helmet in my lap, the weight heavier than the car itself.
Formula 1 (The Dream)
I made it to the doorstep of Formula 1. But the truth hit harder than any crash.
If you win F2, sometimes an F1 academy saves you; covers the cost, gives you a shot.
But if you don’t? The price of entry is €20–30M.
I sat in silence after hearing that number, staring at my hands.
All the years, all the sacrifices, all the late nights at the kitchen table… and still, the dream had a gatekeeper named; Money.
The math
Looking back, the math was brutal:
- Our survival path:
- Karting: €0.2–0.4M
- F4: €0.3–0.4M
- F3: €0.75–1M
- F2: €1.5–2M
- Total: ~€3–4M
- The top path:
- Karting: €2–3M
- F4: €1M
- F3: €3–4M
- F2: €5–7M
- Total: ~€10–15M
The truth
My name — hypothetically — is Senna Prost.
And if there’s one lesson my story tells, it’s this:
Formula 1 is the most beautiful, brutal dream in the world.
Because in the end, to get there, you must be the fastest.
Or the richest.
Preferably both.
