F1: What is it really like trying to reach Formula 1?

“If it wasn’t for Williams’ support when I first entered Formula 3, it would have been very, very difficult for me to be successful even for one season,” the 21-year-old pilot said. he said.

Even though he was at the Williams Driving Academy, he was expected to cover some of the costs himself.

“Williams was very aware of my financial difficulties,” he said. “Of course they only contribute a certain amount to my season and that’s very early in the year, which is quite normal.

O’Sullivan added that “funding is up to the rider”, meaning sponsors are “critical” but hard to find.

He explained: “I think any sponsorship you get comes either from an extraordinary act of kindness or from family, friends or someone who is very, very passionate about racing or believes in the rider.”

He described a phenomenon he called “motorsport inflation”, adding that he was “surprised” at the number of people who could compete at current costs.

“There are very few regulations that control how much you can spend,” he said. “So the best teams perform the best because they have the most money.

“As long as there are people who want to race and there are enough financial resources to race, teams can set their prices. And if people pay, they will continue to raise their prices.”

For example, a race-winning top-end kart chassis can cost up to £4,000 and that’s without an engine.

O’Sullivan said that when he was karting in Europe, top teams’ annual budgets were around £180,000, but that figure had now increased.

“That’s currently around £300,000 with motorsport inflation, which doesn’t quite follow global trends,” he said.

O’Sullivan believes it is impossible to escape elitism in motorsport, adding: “There are a few cases of drivers making it without money, but you have to be able to get to a level where you can be recognized by the Formula One teams, which is normally European karting and is very expensive.”

The pilot, who is leaving F2 before the end of 2024, says that “realistically” F1 is no longer a goal for him and that he is currently racing in the Super Formula series in Japan.