I first sat in a Formula Vee at 10 yo in 1970....Caldwell D13 at a car show....I was Hooked !... I raced FVs in the US for about a decade first in a Carachal Lynx B then in a Greg Bruhns Vector GB4. FVs the best.. The best National engine was $5200 from Dave Carr at Autowerks and they were bulletproof reliable. We run slick racing tires in the US and a set of Goodyears or Hoosiers were $500/4....I never spent more than $10,000 in a season usually less....if you have a shunt....repairs arent a fortune....a front beam axle and maybe a spindle and drum.... A Race is A Race is A Race we used to say....its racing !
Great Video ! Looks like FVee is going strong in Australia. I sat in my first vee a Caldwell D13 in 1970 when i was 10yo. I'll never forget that moment. I raced Vees in the U.S. in a Carachal Lynx B then in a Greg Bruhns GB4. The best racing !....we used to say that "
I had a vee from 1974 to 1986 had to sell the car after buying my house and kids needed more dad time I am know 76 years old and ready to build a cycle cart the next best thing to vee not as fast but just as much fun love the videos 😊❤
4:44 "How much does it cost?" Well we were short changed here, the only cost mentioned was seasonal costs, what about getting intl the sport, what are the purchasing options, ie buying a new car v building one yourself or buying a used and competitive car from the market? The next section suggests it's the cheapest form of motorsport you can get into where I would argue karting is much cheaper.
Early on, it was pretty inexpensive. Cars were simple, engines plentiful and cheap. The fuel was sloshing around in a home welded box behind the seat. The cars are now much safer and sophisticated, and feature proper fuel cells and onboard fire suppression, while needed, add expense. 40 hp VW engines are far from plentiful as VW ceased production of the 1200 40 hp engines about 1965 I think. Like any motor sport, the cars offered for sale are no longer competitive or generally they wouldn’t be for sale. Looks like it should be bargain racing, but probably would tax the finances of a typical wage earner.
Como bien sugiere Tim, competir en cualquier categoría no es viable para cualquier economía; dicho eso, iniciarte en karting, puede ser más barato a la hora de adquirir equipo, pero el costo de mantenimiento puede ser similar, tal vez inferior en f vee; diría que el desgaste de partes (motor, neumaticos) es superior en karting, aunque supongo que las partes de un f vee son más caras; de cualquier modo iniciarte en f vee parece una buena forma de empezar a competir, es bastante popular en varios países alrededor del mundo y además de la fórmula original 1.2cc 65Hp hay dos subcategorias más, 1.6cc y 1.8cc
If you think it looks slow...climb in one....Coming into the braking zone in turn #1 on the Grand Prix course at Watkins glen with cars all around you or on the down the hill into the boot they re plenty fast....
Anyone who joins never regrets it.. 1200 & 1600 in oz? In uk its 1300 at 90/95 bhp with some fancy cams .. its hard work doing it all on your own but fun and rewarding..
As with most motorsport there is risk. Generally drivers are well behaved as no one wants to get hurt, and penalties are imposed for dangerous behaviour. 👍
Amazing video. I've wanted to become a racer since I was young but there wasn't an opportunity for it in my country. So when I finally found out about Formualy Vee, I've kinda planned for myself to enter someday lol. Great video and very informative! One question I have is, is there a time where you become too old for Formula Vee? As a person at the start of my 20s, I'm curious.
would FV be a better form of motorsport than go karting to get into for teenagers? And would the FV car be cheaper second hand? And awesome video! This got me into FV and made me want to experience the pure speed and adrenaline.
Both are excellent forms of entry into motorsport, so it probably depends on your budget. Most FV you buy will be second hand, but yes you could probably pick up an older model for less $$$
Would it be possible for me to be my own racing team (in terms of setting up the car) because I don't know many people who would work on a car for 7 weekends for free?
@@frax77 ah hell yeah. Apparently travelling across the entire UK to work on a car all weekend in the rain doesn't appeal to a lot of people haha. Cheers man!
Can't believe the Senna quote is still being used.. It was Senna's excuse for punting Prost off of the track in order to win a championship. That quote is half the reason amateur racing has so many first lap hero's that cause unnecessary incidents.
Yeah I'm sure this quote is the exact factor for HALF of crashes and first lap mistakes in amateur racing, not the fact that the racers are amateurs,just stfu, Senna was one of the best of his time, if not the best
@@andremirabile3572 try turning back the fanboy a notch. He punted prost off the track and used that statement as an excuse. MANY respected personalities in the racing industry have all made the same comment.
@@ryanokeefe12 I'm not being a fanboy, just saying that the quote don't have nothing to do with amateurs doing amateurs stuff and shouldn't be used by new racers to justify trowing they're and others races in the trash just for a position in lap 1,now if Senna punted Prost car on purpose to win the championship is true,Idk!, that isn't relevant to me,this kind of stuff happened multiple times with multiple pilots through F1 history, but I know that the gap did exist, and it's not like he ram Prost car at full throttle, it was a honest overtaking attempt, independent of the context,the quote is still true and valid, I don't think u should be gredy and put others races and life's at risk,but in the most competitive level of the sport u should want to get as close to the podium as u can,and overtaking is a part of the game as much as collisions and crashes, in the end it's not like Senna won the championship bks of this crash, it just assured that Prost couldn't catch to him in points,and this event just made the Senna x Prost rivalry more legendary
@@andremirabile3572 there was no "gap" he wasnt ahead any right to space at the apex of the corner... You're showing your lack of knowledge for racing now... The "gap" that you're referring to is the area Senna also admitted himself that he knew there was no gap and his intention was to crash. To win in this way is bad sportsmanship.. lucky for Senna, the attention was gone as soon as Schumacher started doing far worse things in an attempt to gain points. We're lucky today that these things are more heavily scrutinised, otherwise it would still happen.
@@ryanokeefe12 Again I don't care if Senna did it on purpose or not , I could enter the discussion about if he had the right for the "gap" in the apex of the corner,but I'm not interested in a race that happen almost 40 years ago, but Idk where u taken the information that he admitted that he did it on purpose, but let me say that there is multiple interviews that he gave (including Brazilian ones that u probably don't know bks of the language barrier) he says he never ram in Prost on purpose, he admitted that was a mistake and he shouldn't have tried to overtaking, that is very different than crashing on purpose, again, I don't care, maybe he did it on purpose,I don't see him as a god or a saint like most people of my country do, but it bothers me ween people try to question his titles legitimacy, and for me independent of the history context of it's origen this quote is still valid
I first sat in a Formula Vee at 10 yo in 1970....Caldwell D13 at a car show....I was Hooked !... I raced FVs in the US for about a decade first in a Carachal Lynx B then in a Greg Bruhns Vector GB4. FVs the best.. The best National engine was $5200 from Dave Carr at Autowerks and they were bulletproof reliable. We run slick racing tires in the US and a set of Goodyears or Hoosiers were $500/4....I never spent more than $10,000 in a season usually less....if you have a shunt....repairs arent a fortune....a front beam axle and maybe a spindle and drum....
A Race is A Race is A Race we used to say....its racing !
That's awesome Robert. Appreciate the perspective.
Great video! I just took the leap myself and am excited to get my first time on track in a Vee this upcoming year
That's fantastic! Wishing you the best of luck. 👍
You will not regret your decision. Have a great time 🙂
Have Fun !....
Can i ask you if it was difficult to find a reasonably priced car etc and how you are doing now in terms of experience?
How is it going?
Great Video ! Looks like FVee is going strong in Australia. I sat in my first vee a Caldwell D13 in 1970 when i was 10yo. I'll never forget that moment. I raced Vees in the U.S. in a Carachal Lynx B then in a Greg Bruhns GB4. The best racing !....we used to say that "
great review. probably the only truly accessible, pure racing experience left.
I had a vee from 1974 to 1986 had to sell the car after buying my house and kids needed more dad time I am know 76 years old and ready to build a cycle cart the next best thing to vee not as fast but just as much fun love the videos 😊❤
Great video as always Alex, glad you enjoyed the drive and you are always welcome for a drive
Myles has a big job - team owner, crew chief and chief financial officer. Well done LFR!
Awesome video Alex! Maybe one day we’ll see you on the start line with us
4:44 "How much does it cost?" Well we were short changed here, the only cost mentioned was seasonal costs, what about getting intl the sport, what are the purchasing options, ie buying a new car v building one yourself or buying a used and competitive car from the market? The next section suggests it's the cheapest form of motorsport you can get into where I would argue karting is much cheaper.
Early on, it was pretty inexpensive. Cars were simple, engines plentiful and cheap. The fuel was sloshing around in a home welded box behind the seat. The cars are now much safer and sophisticated, and feature proper fuel cells and onboard fire suppression, while needed, add expense. 40 hp VW engines are far from plentiful as VW ceased production of the 1200 40 hp engines about 1965 I think. Like any motor sport, the cars offered for sale are no longer competitive or generally they wouldn’t be for sale. Looks like it should be bargain racing, but probably would tax the finances of a typical wage earner.
Como bien sugiere Tim, competir en cualquier categoría no es viable para cualquier economía; dicho eso, iniciarte en karting, puede ser más barato a la hora de adquirir equipo, pero el costo de mantenimiento puede ser similar, tal vez inferior en f vee; diría que el desgaste de partes (motor, neumaticos) es superior en karting, aunque supongo que las partes de un f vee son más caras; de cualquier modo iniciarte en f vee parece una buena forma de empezar a competir, es bastante popular en varios países alrededor del mundo y además de la fórmula original 1.2cc 65Hp hay dos subcategorias más, 1.6cc y 1.8cc
Great video! I am looking to take the leap also. Cyclekarts ! Are inexpensive, but no one wants them on their tracks.
If you think it looks slow...climb in one....Coming into the braking zone in turn #1 on the Grand Prix course at Watkins glen with cars all around you or on the down the hill into the boot they re plenty fast....
Anyone who joins never regrets it.. 1200 & 1600 in oz? In uk its 1300 at 90/95 bhp with some fancy cams .. its hard work doing it all on your own but fun and rewarding..
Yes, 1200 and 1600 classification in Oz. 👍
Awesome video! Thanks for posting. I've just started researching this from iRacing. I'm going to get into it.
I use to be a helper on Tim Flynn racing back in the day. Great fun.
such beautiful cars
Great video Alex...Do It!!
Nice Guide! Makes me wanna race some laps Formel Vau (as it was called in Germany ;D) in rFactor 2 :)
Great video!
how much would the cars cost?
I'm told that $15k AUD gets you a descent setup with a trailer.
@@frax77 would it be the same for karting?
@@Kng4-q8b I'd say that would have a lower starting point.
@@frax77 ok thanks for the info. Great video as well! 👍
Great video Alex. How safe is it?
As with most motorsport there is risk. Generally drivers are well behaved as no one wants to get hurt, and penalties are imposed for dangerous behaviour. 👍
Amazing video. I've wanted to become a racer since I was young but there wasn't an opportunity for it in my country. So when I finally found out about Formualy Vee, I've kinda planned for myself to enter someday lol. Great video and very informative!
One question I have is, is there a time where you become too old for Formula Vee? As a person at the start of my 20s, I'm curious.
Half the grid, if not more, are 50+ so no
@@jacobgundill7969 Wow! That's something I really didn't expect
@@jacobgundill7969 probably a bit late to think about starting if you are 75 or older 😁
@@davidfv never mate!
would FV be a better form of motorsport than go karting to get into for teenagers? And would the FV car be cheaper second hand? And awesome video! This got me into FV and made me want to experience the pure speed and adrenaline.
Both are excellent forms of entry into motorsport, so it probably depends on your budget. Most FV you buy will be second hand, but yes you could probably pick up an older model for less $$$
@@frax77 what would be some good places where i could get a second hand FV cars for a cheap price?
@That F1 Guy not 100% sure, but you could try my105.com
@@frax77 ok thanks and great video!
I have a few questions
Is it in india?
Do you need karting experience?
And the minimal age for india
Haha I have no idea mate. Google is your friend on that one 👍
How much pedals does a Formula Vee have?
3 mate 🤟
@@frax77 Thanks! I assume it's a H-Shifter too?
Yes, 4 speed.
@@frax77 Thanks!
My neighbour has 2 of these types of race cars
Would it be possible for me to be my own racing team (in terms of setting up the car) because I don't know many people who would work on a car for 7 weekends for free?
My mate basically does all the work himself, so yes, absolutely!
@@frax77 ah hell yeah. Apparently travelling across the entire UK to work on a car all weekend in the rain doesn't appeal to a lot of people haha. Cheers man!
Can't believe the Senna quote is still being used.. It was Senna's excuse for punting Prost off of the track in order to win a championship. That quote is half the reason amateur racing has so many first lap hero's that cause unnecessary incidents.
Yeah I'm sure this quote is the exact factor for HALF of crashes and first lap mistakes in amateur racing, not the fact that the racers are amateurs,just stfu, Senna was one of the best of his time, if not the best
@@andremirabile3572 try turning back the fanboy a notch. He punted prost off the track and used that statement as an excuse.
MANY respected personalities in the racing industry have all made the same comment.
@@ryanokeefe12 I'm not being a fanboy, just saying that the quote don't have nothing to do with amateurs doing amateurs stuff and shouldn't be used by new racers to justify trowing they're and others races in the trash just for a position in lap 1,now if Senna punted Prost car on purpose to win the championship is true,Idk!, that isn't relevant to me,this kind of stuff happened multiple times with multiple pilots through F1 history, but I know that the gap did exist, and it's not like he ram Prost car at full throttle, it was a honest overtaking attempt, independent of the context,the quote is still true and valid, I don't think u should be gredy and put others races and life's at risk,but in the most competitive level of the sport u should want to get as close to the podium as u can,and overtaking is a part of the game as much as collisions and crashes, in the end it's not like Senna won the championship bks of this crash, it just assured that Prost couldn't catch to him in points,and this event just made the Senna x Prost rivalry more legendary
@@andremirabile3572 there was no "gap" he wasnt ahead any right to space at the apex of the corner... You're showing your lack of knowledge for racing now... The "gap" that you're referring to is the area
Senna also admitted himself that he knew there was no gap and his intention was to crash.
To win in this way is bad sportsmanship.. lucky for Senna, the attention was gone as soon as Schumacher started doing far worse things in an attempt to gain points.
We're lucky today that these things are more heavily scrutinised, otherwise it would still happen.
@@ryanokeefe12 Again I don't care if Senna did it on purpose or not , I could enter the discussion about if he had the right for the "gap" in the apex of the corner,but I'm not interested in a race that happen almost 40 years ago, but Idk where u taken the information that he admitted that he did it on purpose, but let me say that there is multiple interviews that he gave (including Brazilian ones that u probably don't know bks of the language barrier) he says he never ram in Prost on purpose, he admitted that was a mistake and he shouldn't have tried to overtaking, that is very different than crashing on purpose, again, I don't care, maybe he did it on purpose,I don't see him as a god or a saint like most people of my country do, but it bothers me ween people try to question his titles legitimacy, and for me independent of the history context of it's origen this quote is still valid
Do you need to do karting to get started
Not necessary but I'm sure it would help 😊.
Thank you
Can they be street legal?
Definitely not in Australia 😄
lets be honest every NYC taxi driver is still a racing driver.
How old do you have to be
You need to be 14 to race Formula Vee in Australia, apart from NSW where you need to be 16 👍
@@frax77 I assume it’s the same over in the Uk then thanks mate
Fluff, short on technical detail on the cars. Mostly music and GoPro ride alongs.
FV doesn't exist in most the world now so no. Not relevant what so ever. Rather Formula Ford much better.