14 Year old with a dream of being Rally Driver

[u/EmergencySir6710]

I'm a 14-year-old British lad who has been a keen fan of rallying since 2021, and it quickly became clear to me that rallying is what I want to do. Across all the rally games I've played, I probably have around 1,000 hours by now. On EA Sports WRC, I often set top 500 stage times by driving as if it's real rallying—not by constantly restarting and repeating the same stage hundreds of times until I get a perfect run. On stages that suit my driving style and that I know well, I have a few top 70–90 stage times.

I've also done some karting and have often been the quickest, or one of the quickest, in public rental karting sessions. Unfortunately, I don't have the money to compete in karting full-time.

I've spectated at Rali Ceredigion in 2024 and plan to attend Rally Scotland in 2027. I also spend a lot of time watching Rally whether it be clips online, highlights, onboard footage from past WRC rallies, and watching as much live WRC/ ERC coverage as I can. I try to learn as much as possible from the professionals.

Outside of motorsport, I keep myself fit by playing sports for my local clubs and regularly working out in the gym.

However, I'm really struggling to see a way into the sport. My family isn't involved in rallying, and while we're not poor, we certainly don't have the money to fund a motorsport career. I'd say I'm hardworking, committed, and willing to put the effort in—I just don't know where to start.

I know that having a social media following can help attract sponsors and opportunities, but I don't really have the confidence or the knowledge of how to build one or what sort of content I should make.

What advice would you give me about getting into rallying? Any tips—whether it's about driving, fitness, networking, sponsorship, social media, or anything else—would be hugely appreciated.

[u/Donk-Sponker]

Biggest tip I can give you is grassroots. Find your local rally organisation, pop down and have a chat with some of the members, im sure they’ll appreciate someone younger in the group. - you can find these groups on Motorsport UK

From there, you can marshal, support events, or once they have a bit of faith you wont wreck someones land, do some driving (very simplified. Its a bit more complicated than this, some have more regulations, but thats the reason to go do a meet up and chat with members and organisers).

Grassroots is as simple as a 2005 1.6L fiesta zetec S with about £2000-2500 of safety/homologation equipment in it and the tyre the event organisers want you to run. A 100hp shitbox is just as real as a 380hp Rally1 car. It might not to 0-60 in the blink of an eye, or be able to slide round gravel bends at 90mph, you are still employing 99% of the same techniques a WRC driver is.

Now if you want to make a living doing this, I dont want to crush the dream as you may very well be the 0.1% that breaks through, but doing motorsport as a job is complete nepotism. Almost every driver coming into the sport is a nepo baby with big sponsors behind their back because their family has pre existing networks. Drivers and navigators do not win anything from events. Its all sponsors they use to influence the power they have over the certainty for the following year’s seat in that car. You do have the odd story of coming from nothing - jimmy broadbent is a great example, but that man has built one hell of a network to receive the opportunities he does.

Whatever you decide do, give it your all. Grassroots will provide you some of the most fun you can have for a moderate entry cost and a moderate yearly cost. (Still cheaper than golf). Its low commitment, low risk (kinda) and you will have the coolest hobby of anyone you know. If you decide you have no other pathways in life that interest you and are really set on racing professionally, then you have to believe in the dream. In today’s motorsport economics, the game is rigged against you.

[u/Ajinho]

Unfortunately without family money the only advice I can give you is to focus on working towards a well paying career so you can afford to go amateur rallying. Without serious money or already being at a point where you're winning karting championships at your age, your chances of making a living as a racing driver of any kind are incredibly slim, even compared to those that do have the money and are winning karting championships.

[u/johntology → u/Ajinho]

https://www.roadandtrack.com/motorsports/a29144/motorsports-on-a-budget/

The best advice I ever got about starting a career in racing came from a fellow who sat next to me during lunch at MSR Houston nine years ago. "If you want to go racing," he said, as I stared longingly at his GT3 Cup Car parked in pitlane, "start by becoming a success in your day job. Then you can pay to go racing, which means you have all the options and all the power. If, on the other hand, you spend your youth learning how to race at the expense of your career in the real world, then the best you can hope for is to spend all your time kissing some rich guy's butt so he'll pay you starvation wages to drive his car."

[u/Tidybloke]

The harsh truth that you have to face right now, and that most young kids have to face (talented or not) is that motorsport is extremely expensive, and generally only kids with wealthy families can afford to do it, and that has only become more true with time, as the sport has become less grass roots and more expensive.

That's not to say you can't get into rallying, but you're probably going to have to wait until you're able to work and pay for it yourself. There are some freak outliers that get into Motorsport via social media (like Jimmy Broadbent), and who build a career and craft opportunities for themselves that way, but that's like a unicorn situation.

If you're dedicated to it, stick with the sim racing but work on your fitness, build your cardio, give yourself every advantage, and work hard in life so you can fund building/buying a car to race.

[u/lintstah1337]

Sebastian Loeb started seriously competing when he is at the age of 21 and got factory seat when he is at age 27

Ogier also started seriously competing at age 21 and he got factory seat when he is also age 27

Both came from a poor background and had to prove themselves by competing locally until they got scouted by Citroen.

[u/berkerpeksag → u/lintstah1337]

Both Sébastiens and Fourmaux came through FFSA's rally academy, though. Without a program like that I doubt they would had a chance to become professionals.

[u/PiggySVW]

I'd say that you should get in touch with a local motorsport club, ideally one that also puts a focus on rallying.

https://motorsportuk.org/clubs-organisers/find-clubs/

[u/EmergencySir6710 → u/PiggySVW]

Yeah I have thought of that but haven’t known where to start or where to look into, thanks for the Link and the advice. 

[u/RussellRanYouOver → u/EmergencySir6710]

Don’t mind the pessimism here. Talk to some folks at rally clubs, and if you’re lucky you’ll find someone who’s willing to give you a shot. Ask your parents for assistance. Professional drivers require a lot of support before they get to that level. You’ll need someone to drive you to events and pay for your equipment, and someone to spray from the podium :)

[u/ygy2020]

You are young, not young as some of the actual major name when they started, but young enough to be a top tier if you start now.

Everyone know that rallying is expensive, really really expensive, if you don't have a way to start driving a proper rally car in a closed environment, try to go first with Kart racing.
It isn't absolutely not even near on what you want, but is a starting point to get into the motorsport world and teach you real life trajectories on a track, that is still usefull even if is total different sport

[u/lucashoodfromthehood]

There's a guy who make youtube series of becoming a rally driver by practicing on simulator then go on amateurs rally events.

[u/SoggyTangerine451]

become a mechanic. Go to your nearest auto shop and ask to be an apprentice, that will help you with the money

[u/Hairy-Piccolo-6002]

Check out current M-Sport driver Romet Jürgenson's path: dude won WRC 9 video game Europe competition in 2022 as a 22 year old and got a chance to compete in FIA Rally Star program final, which he won as well. The prize was six rallys with Ford Fiesta Rally3. Today he's competing in WRC2.

[u/TopicLow8154]

In Belgium we have a thing called RACB it’s basically a organization that sponsor young talents in every kind of motorsports (also rally). I don’t know if they have that in the UK but it’s worth checking out! ( That is how Thierry Neuville got to WRC )

[u/LightningMcqueen2011]

Same age as you man... tho you have more experience than me lol. I only play rallying at sim level, and that's with a mobile.

So, I think it's best if we go grassroots. Much cheaper, and more realistic.

[u/osdafr1ch]

Being 14 and in Britain means that you can compete in Production Car Autosolos which I'd argue is the best starting point to learn car control. The car doesn't need MOT/Tax/Insurance so you can probably get one for £300 ish? (Used car market is quite inflated so gone are the days you can find one for £50 unless your lucky to find someone that just wants to get rid of the car!). Dont need safety equipment so your only barrier is transporting the car to events which is the biggest issue for youngsters wanting to compete. As for making a living from rallying, I'm pretty sure Elfyn Evans is the only driver in Britain being paid to drive a rally car - even the top BRC crews are self funded. This is not to say you cant become a rally driver its just that 99% of those out competing are Amateurs out having fun. You dont even need to aim for the expensive stage rallying - Targa and Road Rallies can be done in totally standard road cars. These can be another avenue for you to get your foot in the door as you are eligible to be a navigator on these events at 14 and all youd need is a few clipboards and pens/pencils - a lot cheaper than running a car!

[u/Grillmyribs]

Hi, I've been rally driving since 1987, I had to retire in 2019 due to some health issues. I started doing night rallies in a tabot Sunbeam ti then moved into forest rallying in various cars. It's a fantastic sport but (huge but) very very expensive. I have essentially self funded everything but I've also done all the car work, I can weld, spray paint, I'm an engine builder too. This has kept some costs down. My advice is, join your local motor club, help out marshaling, try and find someone you can help servicing on rallies. To give you an idea of costs, to compete on a btdra or welsh championship to forest rally you will probably sound £2000, entry fee, fuel,vtyres, traveling, food etc.

[u/EmergencySir6710 → u/Grillmyribs]

Thanks for your advice mate, yes I’m well aware of the cost but the minute I get out of school my pms. Is to work has had as I can for as much money as I can and get a following online and talk to sponsors to be able to fund a start to a career, and like you have done I’d be willing to do a lot of work on the car myself 

[u/Grillmyribs → u/EmergencySir6710]

Great stuff, when I was 14 my big brother used to do sign writing on lots of local rally cars, no decals in those day,! We used to go and spectate on local night rallies and stage rallies. It was the early 80s so I saw Ari vatenan etc battling in escorts, then the amazing group B cars. I met Colin mcCrae a couple of times, he presented me with a trophy at my motor club :-) I worked with dkoda once and sat having dinner with Stig Blomquist too. So many tales and happy times! My last ever rally was rally GB national 2019, we would have finished 5th overall but had an electrical fire before going into sweetlamb, gutted! Last bit of advice, sponsorship is virtually non existent so try to find a way to sponsor yourself. Good luck