Lovers of speed and thrills dream of becoming car racers. The description of the profession, its advantages, disadvantages, training options, and career opportunities will help you better understand the features of this unique specialty. Its representatives take part in various competitions, risk their lives, but get a good financial reward. The experts of essaysadvisor.com have compiled detailed material on the features of this profession.
Areas of activity
A racecar driver (car pilot) is a person who devotes his whole life to competitions on the world’s circuits. There are many directions in this profession. They differ from each other by the type of cars and tracks on which athletes compete.
The main directions:
- Ring car and motorcycle racing. Athletes participating in such races drive a certain number of laps on specialized tracks. The most famous competitions are the Formula 1 and MotoGP championships. Endurance races. These competitions are held on the same tracks as circuit racing. The only difference is the maximum duration of the races (up to 24 hours). Auto and motorcycle racers involved in these series appear in teams of 3-4 people and are served by dozens of assistants (mechanics).
- Rally. Rally competitions are held on natural tracks with different surfaces (soil, gravel, sand, ice, and others). Their participants overcome particular small parts separately from each other. Crews consist of a pilot and navigator, who must sit next to him and tell the correct direction.
- Autocross. This direction is represented by circuit racing on a dirt track. Athletes have to overcome ramps, hills, and pits and fight with their rivals.
- Drag Racing. Auto racers who choose this direction compete for only 20-30 seconds. All the rest of the time, they are busy preparing the car for the races. The goal of such races is to develop the highest possible speed to outrun a car of their rivals.
- Drift. Such races are especially spectacular. That is why they are often attributed not to competitions but the show. Their participants pass the sharp turns of the road with controlled drifting.
- Trophy-Raid. These competitions are attended by racing drivers who prefer large SUVs and trucks. The route runs through the rugged terrain, where athletes are waiting for a variety of natural obstacles.
- Karting. This direction is created especially for young participants and young racers who are just mastering their profession. Competitions are held on circular tracks.
Pros and cons of the profession
Every day the racer earns money, risking his life and health. Despite this, the profession has many positives that make you love it.
The main advantages:
- the prestige of the profession;
- the opportunity to constantly experience the release of adrenaline;
- high wages;
- the chance to become a world-famous athlete;
- the opportunity to travel to different countries.
The main disadvantages:
- high risk of injury, including fatal injury;
- great responsibility;
- the need to drive the car on the race track in all weather conditions.
Personal qualities
A man who wants to participate in the races and become a winner must have specific personal qualities. Without them, it will be virtually impossible to succeed.
Necessary qualities are courage, determination, high reaction rate, self-confidence, concentrating attention, excellent vision and hearing, developed willpower, purposefulness, and working in a team.
Key Responsibilities
Before starting a race car driver career, you need to understand that a pilot’s duties include more than just participating in races. In addition to their direct functions, the car racer performs a dozen other tasks needed during the competition.
The primary duties are:
- studying all the features of the track (angles of the roadway, steepness of turns, optimal braking points, etc.);
- development of racing strategy;
- assessing the condition and capabilities of the car;
- conducting training and test runs;
- giving interviews to the media;
- improvement of racing technology.
Requirements
Only a person who meets all the requirements of the profession can take part in racing. But, unfortunately, there are quite a few of them. So the selection of candidates for car racing is considered one of the toughest.
The list of requirements:
- perfect health and excellent physical condition;
- no problems with the vestibular apparatus, vision, and hearing;
- the ability to tolerate increased overload well;
- knowledge of the technical characteristics of the vehicle and the acts of car racing;
- the ability to repair breakdowns;
- having driving experience in various weather conditions;
- skills of work on preparing.
Employment Options and Career
Before committing yourself to the car racing profession, you need to find out where to train, potential salaries, and possible places of employment. This information will help you understand the appropriateness of your choice and determine the right course of action. Car racer is not the most in-demand profession. Because of this, it is almost impossible to get into motorsports without a lot of money in your pocket. For one reason or another, Athletes who could not achieve success have a chance to prove themselves in related professions.
Possible jobs:
- a sports club;
- children’s sections and racing schools;
- a company that organizes competitions;
- a racing team (positions of a mechanic, analyst, navigator, and others).
It is enough to look at his expensive personal property to understand how much a professional racer earns. In most cases, the income of top riders depends on the chosen direction and the team in which it is located. As a result, the salary varies widely and can reach tens of millions of dollars. At the same time, an amateur athlete is limited to a diploma or a cup for winning competitions.
Professions requiring high qualifications
The racers, engineers, and mechanics get all the applause. But there are other vital roles behind the scenes of motorsports, especially in the super-professional world of racing.
The most visible and widely known professions in motorsports are drivers, engineers, and auto mechanics. But in the racing world, a lot depends on many specialists, including experts from some unique branches of science.
Fuel Specialist
Engine designers get all the glory, but fuel chemists are the Atlantis of development in motorsports, bringing everything into balance. Their job is to fine-tune fuel chemistry, optimize octane numbers to fit a vehicle’s characteristics, make adjustments for its weight, acceleration, and, of course, its unique engine architecture. A perfectly matched fuel can add 40 horsepower to a Formula 1 race car.
This role also includes developing new additives that must comply with the rules for each sport. As a result, fuel chemists sometimes have to find creative ways to get around regulations.
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